Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone took the positives from his side's performance in a 1-1 draw at Rayo Vallecano on Sunday. (More Football News)
It marked Atleti's third draw in La Liga this season, with Simeone's side✤ six points back from leaders💦 Barcelona.
Atleti earned a point at Vallecas Stadium thanks to Conor Gallagher's strike after the ♊༒break following a sloppy first half in which Isi Palazon had put the hosts ahead.
Next up for Atleti is a derby clash with second-place Real Madrid, and Simeone remained optimistic despite his team's🤪 indifferent form.
"In the first half we had more scoring situations than gameplay. Then we saw intensity, involvement, a lot of people in the opposit♎ion's half, attacking in different ways," Simeone t⛦old reporters.
"I alw𓂃ays focus on the positive, on the second half. We conceded a goal but we also had chances to score. We could have won the game.
"[I have] the same enthusiasm to go game by game, to face each one as if it were the last one. We are on that ꩲpath."
Julian Alvarez went close to finding the net after 20 minutes but hit the woodwork, with t𒅌he Argentine striker havin🥂g only netted one goal in six games this season.
However, Simeone is confident that Alvarez and the rest of his f꧅orwards will find tꦓhe sharpness they have been lacking.
"We are convinced that the go💝als will 🌱come. The problem is when the strikers don't have goal situations," the Argentine manager said.
"I liked Julian playing on the left, with a lot of effort. [Ang🐻el] Correa came on very well, [Antoine] Griezmann put the team in the opposition half. I was happy with the second half."
The match stats paint a b🐼leaker picture for Atleti, who had fewer shots (10 to 16) than Vallecano, wꦿhile mustering just 0.53 xG compared to their hosts' 1.85.
Gallagher🎉's form is at least a major bonus for Atleti. The former Chelsea midfielder has scored in successive league games for the third time in his career, while he was involved in 18 duels (winning nine), which is the most by any player for the club thi🐻s season in LaLiga.
