Simeone: Socially, morally and emotionally, Atletico Madrid are still the people's team LaLiga Los Rojiblancos beat Leganes 1-0

Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone was delighted with his team's second successful 1-0 win to start the 2019/20 LaLiga Santander campaign, but he also sought to clarify previous comments.

The Argentinian had spoken of the profile of the club, after some claimed that they had lost their roots, a suggestion Simeone was keen to rubbish.

"I explained it well and some misinterpreted; it's clear that we can't be the people's team with the stadium we have and having paid 126 million euros for Joao Felix," he explained.

"But socially, morally and emotionally we are still the people's team because it's in our roots, even though we've grown economically."

Despite that economic growth, this was the first time that Atleti had beaten Leganes at Butarque in LaLiga Santander.

"We needed to win. We went looking to win the game in different ways because the game lasts 90 minutes," he said.

"That's why we changed the system as we looked for a solution.

"Leganes approached the game how they wanted to, but luckily we knew how to overcome it.

"I like to know how to suffer; games where it's divided in different moments, there are some where you have to suffer.

"The team handled the lead better than against Getafe."

That change saw a three-man defence change to four, though the three central defenders would return late on in the game.

"We started with three central defenders because Saul [Niguez] creates a threat down the wing. In some moments it worked well, [Alvaro] Morata had a chance," he analysed.

"In the second half after the changes we got comfortable in another way and found ourselves all over the pitch."

Finally, there was a claim for Vitolo to gain a starting spot after his impressive cameo appearance.

"The freshness of Vitolo and Marcos Llorente gave us something we didn't have until then," Simeone responded.

"A goal doesn't earn a start. Instead, consistency and hard work."

Atleti will next face Eibar at the Wanda Metropolitano on September 1.