Head coach Diego Simeone has dismissed suggestions he has lost the dressing room at Atletico Madrid.
Atleti are sixth in LaLiga after 14 matches on 25 points six behind leaders Barcelona, who are ahead of second-placed Real Madrid on goal difference.
But Simeone played down talk he no longer has the confidence of the Atleti players following an underwhelming start to the campaign.
The 49-year-old claims such questions have been a regular feature of his tenure and was bullish at a news conference on Thursday.
In the eight years that I have been here, it has been said that the group was not with me every year, Simeone said ahead of Friday s clash with Villarreal.
There is always a moment of speculation. However, we move forward with pati…
Alberto Zaccheroni will get a clearer picture of how he will set up at the FIFA World Cup when Japan host Cyprus in a friendly on Tuesday.
Japan will come up against Colombia, Greece and Ivory Coast in Group C at the World Cup finals in Brazil, though first thing on the agenda is an international friendly at Saitama Stadium.
Zaccheroni named 12 European-based players in his 23-man squad for the showpiece event, with Keisuke Honda (Milan), Shinji Kagawa (Manchester United) and Shinji Okazaki (Mainz) headlining the selections.
Veteran striker Yoshito Okubo was handed a shock recall to the national team, having not appeared on the international stage since February 2012.
Okubo s selection was questioned despite topping the J.League charts last season with 27 goals, …