Simeone gives De Paul props as Villarreal looms
Rodrigo De Paul's form has been key to Atletico Madrid's bid for LaLiga glory, head coach Diego Simeone said on the eve of this weekend's tussle with Villarreal.
De Paul, a FIFA World Cup and Copa America winner with Argentina, has earned plaudits for his contributions at both ends of the pitch during a spell in which Atletico has won 16 of 17 matches in all competitions.
"He's an established footballer, a world champion," Simeone said.
"In this recent good period, he's been performing at his best for Atletico, and it's normal for people to appreciate what he's giving.
"He's very important for us, with a lot of personality, and we hope he continues this way. We'll demand this from him because it's what we need."
Simeone also heaped praise on his son, Giuliano, who received a standing ovation when he was substituted during a 2-1 UEFA Champions League win over Bayer Leverkusen in midweek.
"I see him only as a footballer," Simeone said. "I value his work. He is exactly what we imagined, and he's doing what we expect of him.
"We will demand improvement from him, he needs to score goals, but he has the most important qualities: enthusiasm, courage, humility, generosity. He will continue to grow if he stays on this path."
Atletico is second in LaLiga with 44 points from 20 matches, and a win over fifth-placed Villarreal would see it overhaul rival and league leader Real Madrid, which plays later in the day.
Asked if it was better for Atletico to play before its title rival, Simeone said: "We are still a long way from the end of the league, we only care about our game and concentrate on what our opponents present us with.
"Villarreal has a well-defined game with defensive work and a lot of players in order to counterattack with the four forwards who are very good. [Alex] Baena, [Yeremy] Pino, Gerard Moreno or whoever plays up front.
"They played very well against Mallorca and we are not thinking about anything else but looking for players who can help us."
