Simeone: Atletico better get future Ballon d'Or recognition

Following an almost-complete snub for the Liga champions at the Fifa award ceremony on Monday, the Rojiblancos coach says he hopes 2015 and beyond are different

Diego Simeone believes the Fifa Ballon d'Or does not care about footballing achievements but hopes Atletico Madrid gain future recognition in the award.

The Rojiblancos astonished Spanish football fans by breaking the recent duopoly at the top of La Liga in 2013-14, as they finished above both Barcelona and Real Madrid to win the league title.

However, only Diego Costa and Thibaut Courtois made the 23-man Ballon d'Or 2014 shortlist, and both of them now play for Chelsea, rather than at the Vicente Calderon.

While Simeone at least made the shortlist for Fifa's coach of the year award, the Argentine finished behind winner Joachim Low, who won the World Cup with Germany.

And the Atletico coach, whose team are hovering just beneath Real and Barca in the La Liga table this season, criticised the awards after the prize-giving as his players were left empty-handed.

"The Ballon d'Or and FIFPro World XI are only choices, but ones which weren't based on achievement," he told reporters. "I just hope that in the future our players will be accepted as potential candidates."

Atletico face Real in the second leg of their Copa del Rey last-16 tie on Thursday, with the aggregate score standing at 2-0, and Simeone remains wary of the Champions League holders despite his side's first leg lead.

"I don't want to waste any time on pre-match assumptions," he added. "We are up against a very strong and powerful rival.

"The stadium will be completely packed because they have lowered tickets. The atmosphere will be electric and that's a good thing - we're hoping for a lively, rowdy atmosphere will a lot of pressure.

"We have a positive result from the first leg in the bag but, obviously, we're playing against the world and European champions. They change one player from their ideal XI and we know that we have to put in a very good performance."

Posted by Unknown on Thursday, January 15, 2015 - Rating: 4.5

Title : Simeone: Atletico better get future Ballon d'Or recognition
Description : Following an almost-complete snub for the Liga champions at the Fifa award ceremony on Monday, the Rojiblancos coach says he hopes 2015 and ...

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