Morata: Simeone is Atletico Madrid, nobody can imagine the club without him LaLiga On-loan forward excited for new campaign

A difficult spell with Chelsea was brought to a timely end by Atletico Madrid's interest, and Alvaro Morata is now once again enjoying his football and looking to the future with hope rather than uncertainty.

His loan spell with Atletico Madrid started well and has been fairly consistent ever since, with the Spanish international playing regular football once more.

Ahead of the 2019/20 season, the former Real Madrid and Juventus star sat down with MARCA and gave an exclusive interview discussing all things related to Los Rojiblancos.

You can see this club without Godin, without Griezmann, but can you imagine it without Simeone?

"It would be difficult to imagine Atletico without Simeone. With the change at Atletico in these years... Simeone is the club. There have been many great players, but Atleti are always competing since he arrived. It would be a huge loss, Simeone is Atletico. Nobody can imagine the club without him."

Several months have passed since your arrival, how comfortable do you feel now?

"The truth is that personally I'm incredibly happy, even beyond the sporting achievements that we've reached since I arrived. I'm happy for how the fans have behaved, it wasn't easy at the beginning due to my past, but I knew I had to talk little and work hard. As a team there were maybe a couple of games where it would be better not to talk, but the season is over and it's time to think about the next one. I'm very happy to have joined this team and I want to stay."

When you say it wasn't easy, did you remember the song 'less Moratas and more Borja Garces'? Did that make you hesitant to sign?

"I didn't hesitate, even for a second. I had committed myself to the club, to the president and to the coach. Before coming to Spain, I told them that my head was already with Atletico and I was going to do whatever I could to get here. One summer I was very close, but the club I was at didn't want to sell me. I had to stay there, we won titles but I was already intent on coming to Atletico. I knew it would be very difficult because of the past and there are things which can't be undone, but you have to work hard to change the opinion of supporters. For them it has been complicated, because every single fan feels this club and I could only satisfy them with my work and by helping the team. We could have won more games, but I fought as much as a I could and I will continue to do so."

With the departures of Godin and Juanfran, just what is the team losing?

"It's more than a sporting thing. Atletico Madrid are losing two icons away from the pitch, two leaders. They are very important people and they've helped me a lot. I wish I could have played more with them. I have lived through difficult times like in Turin, but that's where the character of these people comes to the fore. They are champions and in difficult moments they come out and show their faces."

You're a close friend of Koke, do you see him able to lead the team in the same way?

"Koke was born to be a captain. It was only a matter of time and, if he is lucky with injuries, he will be the one who ends up with the most appearances and trophies in Atletico Madrid's history. I'm very happy because ten years ago I developed with him. If you'd have seen his character back then, then you too would have known he would always end up as Atleti's captain."

Do you agree that those who have had less responsibility previously need to step forward next season?

"It's important that me and other players take a step forward, not only in matches but also in the dressing room. Even if you only do a little thing, you can transmit to people just what Atletico Madrid is, what is required here and what will make us win as a team. This is what these guys gave to us and I would have liked to play more with Godin, Juanfran and Filipe Luis."

Do you think you're able to challenge Barcelona and Real Madrid after so many departures?

"We're excited about the future. Change is sometimes difficult, but it can bring good things. You have to keep the block of important players we have, that's the most important thing, you need to have a connection with your teammates and be united. In recent years, Atletico have taken a forward leap in every possible way. Now it seems easy, but to be fighting with Barcelona and Real Madrid is far from easy. With the signings they will make, and their budgets, we have to be clever with our methods. There will be a budget, there will be signings but there are also no excuses not be there again, fighting for the championship in Spain, as well as the Champions League."

Did you expect Antoine Griezmann to leave the club this summer?

"Well it was always possible. It's not so much something you wait for, but you're inside the dressing room so you know that it's something that could happen. The only thing to do now is show him respect, he's been one of the best players in the history of the club and has given Atletico so much. We have to support him, he's treated me very well and I wish him well, as long as he isn't playing against Atleti, of course."

Having played for Real Madrid, Chelsea and Juventus yourself, do you feel pressure to take the goalscoring responsibility from Griezmann?

"Of course I have a responsibility, not only in terms of goals but also in the dressing room. You have responsibilities, you have to be more involved in training, you can never be relaxed, you have to be more serious. I don't say that I haven't been these things already, but when one is in training you always see the serious captains, who command your attention. These are the people who new signings come to realise are the leaders and they don't relax for a second. If we get a dressing room like that, the team will be successful."

How do you survive as a dressing room after saying goodbye to so many key players?

"It's clear that, in the end, even if you don't want to discuss it you will be forced to. There are a lot of street journalists and people who like to gossip and ask. They think I'm the Sporting Director and I know what's happening. We hope that we'll be a competitive team, we've lacked good fortune this season but know what we need to do in the Champions League and in order to win LaLiga. There are small details, and it's not like in Italy or France where the top team has a lead of many points. We've been competitive, but small details have stopped us winning the league. It's true that Barcelona have been very good, but we will give our best."

Do you think that you're undervaluing Atleti's achievement at finishing second to Messi's Barcelona, especially when you consider where your team has come from?

"You do need to value coming second in one of the best leagues in the world. If you go to other countries like France and Italy and ask who is second, nobody can tell you they are that far behind. Atletico has been fighting to win all season, and if we had more luck then we'd have the opportunity to win."

Do you see Diego Costa, a good friend of yours, able to recover and reach his best level again?

"Yes. I see him preparing very well. I trust him so much. I like playing with him and I know he's going to be very important. Diego Costa is Diego Costa. You have to know him to understand him. Everything that has happened to him since Barcelona has been unfair, I've also had to live through it. You need to understand the character of the players. If you know Diego, you realise he's a great person and a spectacular footballer. He has to spend time to recover, we both want to start the season together."

Several months have now passed since the defeat, but what happened in Turin? What went wrong?

"I've thought about Turin a lot. There is no need to review it anymore. As much as we think about it, the result won't ever change. They needed to score three and they scored three, nobody thought that was possible but watching the Champions League this year has shown it is. In the Champions League the smallest details make the difference and we had a bad night in Turin. It was a major mistake, but you don't choose when to be good or bad, and the result will help us to be stronger in the future."

You've won two Champions Leagues and have played in a final with Juventus, but what are Atleti missing to finally lift the trophy they are dreaming of?

"If I knew this, I would have told the coach. The Champions League required an accumulation of many things. You have to be lucky, be better than the rest of the teams and anticipate anything. Any team who has won the tournament has endured bad moments, but it's about having the right year and a great team."