Simeone not giving up on top four

Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone insists he has not given up hope of qualifying for next season’s Champions League.

Atletico currently sit sixth in La Liga, six points behind fourth-placed Malaga with just three rounds of the season remaining.

However, while Simeone acknowledged ahead of Wednesday’s clash with Real Sociedad at the Vicente Calderon that Atletico are not in an advantageous position, he is not even considering throwing in the towel.

“We still have our chances of qualifying for the Champions League and until the referee blows for full-time or until we finish the last game of the season against Villarreal, we will believe that we can do it,” Simeone told El Mundo Deportivo.

“When I arrived in December, this was only an imagined scenario, but today it is real.

“So hopefully tomorrow (Wednesday) will see a full stadium because the players deserve it. We need that positive energy to be strong and give our all in the remaining games, of which there are so few.”

Simeone said he has been inspired by the way in which both Real Zaragoza and Sporting Gijon have launched spirited late bids to beat the drop.

“Everyone had claimed that Zaragoza and Sporting were dead but now they are fighting back,” he said.

“That taught me that you must play right until the end of the championship.”