Although the team will host Barcelona on Wednesday in the second leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals, Simeone made it clear he’s not looking ahead: “I don’t prioritize any competition. What matters is the now, and right now, it’s Espanyol.”

He might rotate the squad due to international duties, with players like Julián Álvarez and Rodrigo De Paul having just returned from playing with Argentina. The likely starting XI is: Jan Oblak; Marcos Llorente, Robin Le Normand, Clément Lenglet, César Azpilicueta; Giuliano Simeone, Conor Gallagher, Pablo Barrios, Samuel Lino; Antoine Griezmann and Alexander Sørloth.

Ángel Correa (suspension) and Koke Resurrección (injury) will miss the match, although Koke is already training at full pace.

Asked about Griezmann, Simeone kept it short: “I think there’s nothing more to add. We’ve talked a lot about Griezmann already.”

He also spoke about his son, Giuliano Simeone: “He’s growing from humility and hard work. With the national team, he went from less to more against Uruguay, and performed well when he came on against Brazil.”

Lastly, he praised Azpilicueta, who is set to return to the starting lineup: “César is extraordinary. He’s a coach within the group. He sees so much about the team, the group, and the season’s ups and downs. Sharing this time with him has been a real joy.”

Atlético de Madrid is gearing up for a demanding final stretch. But for Simeone, it’s not over until the last five — and in the meantime, the only goal is the now.