José María Giménez, Atlético Madrid defender, highlighted the signings and the quality of the squad but pointed out that it’s now up to the players to "build a good team."

“We have a great squad, with many very good players. What we need to do is become a strong team. To achieve that, we all must have the same commitment and responsibility. From there, as the boss (manager Diego Simeone) says, it’s one game at a time, and when the season ends, we’ll reflect and see how far we can go,” he explained.

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“Playing in the Champions League is very tough. We are fortunate and privileged to have been able to compete in it for so many years. You have to appreciate how hard it is to qualify, considering the number of teams in La Liga and how challenging they are. Competing in the Champions League is something almost all players dream of, and we have that chance,” he added.

“And from there, we must inspire ourselves in the best way possible to bring joy to our fans, who always stand by us through thick and thin,” he continued.

When asked about his partnership in defense with Robin Le Normand, Giménez commented: "Robin is a player with a lot of class. He played for a team that was performing well (Real Sociedad), and he proved himself with the Spanish national team, where he earned a spot. That says a lot about him."

“We’ve been understanding each other very well lately. It’s enough just to look at each other because we’re in sync, based on the collective work we’ve trained on. When we have a clear idea of what we’re working on throughout the week, a simple glance is enough to know what to do,” he emphasized.

The team has managed to keep a clean sheet in several matches. “When you’re on the pitch, you try to do your job as best as possible, but I always say the same thing: it’s not an individual streak. I was playing last year too, and we conceded goals. The team is more committed when it comes to defending. You can see the solidity in our defense as a unit, not just on an individual level,” he expressed.

The new Champions League format adds more matches to an already packed schedule for footballers. Regarding this, Giménez commented: "In the end, we’re footballers. We’re not the ones who manage the schedules. They tell us when to play, we put on our socks and boots, and we go out there. That’s the reality, and we can’t say anything about it. We’re not the ones who make those decisions. Whoever makes them will do so considering the ongoing discussions."