Joao Felix has a role to play at Atletico Madrid despite his "differences" with the club, says Diego Simeone, who expects the forward to give his maximum while he remains with Los Colchoneros.
The Portugal international has been linked with a move away from the Metropolitano after appearing to criticise Simeone's methods while at the World Cup earlier this month.
Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal have all been linked with a move for the 23-year-old, whose tally of 33 Atleti goals since his 2019 arrival is only bettered by Luis Suarez (34) in that span.
While Simeone hinted Joao Felix's exit was in the offing when he warned "no one is essential" last week, the Argentine says the forward must continue to contribute until any move is agreed.
"We have a good working relationship, beyond some differences that there may be between people. We can't agree on everything," Simeone said at a press conference on Wednesday.
"We have differences, but I always look for the best for the club until the last day that I or the players are there.
"We squeeze the maximum out of everyone until the last day that I or they are here."
Joao Felix scored one goal and added two assists as Portugal reached the last eight in Qatar, with his total of three World Cup goal involvements only bettered by two Selecao team-mates – Bruno Fernandes with five and Goncalo Ramos with four.
Simeone called for the forward to replicate that form ahead of Atleti's return to league action against Elche, adding: "What matters to me is the team, and he is important to the team.
"If he shows us what we saw in the World Cup, he will be very important. He has the conditions and the talent, and the team needs his qualities."
Getafe 0-3 Atletico Madrid: Griezmann treble seals Champions League qualification
Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann scored a hat-trick in a 3-0 LaLiga win at Getafe on Wednesday as Diego Simeone's side sealed Champions League qualification.
The France star opened the scoring in the 27th minute from Rodrigo De Paul's throughball and had his second shortly before half-time, flicking Samuel Lino's pinpoint pass past Getafe goalkeeper David Soria.
Griezmann completed his hat-trick in the 51st minute with a fine finish under Soria's legs, with Lino claiming his second assist by playing Los Colchoneros' all-time leading scorer into the area.
It was Griezmann's second hat-trick of the season, after he also netted three times in a 3-0 win at Celta Vigo last October.
With two games remaining, Simeone's side are now on 73 points in fourth, 11 ahead of fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao, who lost 2-1 against Celta Vigo on Wednesday.
Data Debrief: Griezmann repeats the trick
Griezmann is the only player to score two hat-tricks in LaLiga this season, and the only player to net a treble with all three goals coming on his left foot.
He might need to go even further to put himself in Golden Boot contention, though, with his 16 goals for this term putting him behind Artem Dovbyk (20), Jude Bellingham, Alexander Sorloth (both 19) and Robert Lewandowski (17).
Fernandes looking for strong finish to Man Utd's season
Bruno Fernandes says Manchester United must "finish the season in the best way" following their 3-2 win over Newcastle United.
The United youngsters played starring roles, with Kobbie Mainoo, Amad Diallo and Rasmus Hojlund getting all three goals to close the gap to Newcastle in the table.
Anthony Gordon and Lewis Hall both netted for the Magpies, with the latter setting up a nervy finish with his stoppage-time effort, but their lack of clinical edge meant United earned all three points.
Erik ten Hag’s side avoided a third consecutive defeat, and what would have been a record-breaking 10th home loss of the season, and Fernandes insists they must find a way to finish positively.
Speaking to Sky Sports, the United captain said: "Obviously the job isn’t finished yet. We still have one game in the Premier League, then the biggest game of the season, the FA Cup final.
"It has been a tough season. The table shows that, and we are all aware of that. The fans have been amazing and behind us all season. We all appreciate what they have been doing for us.
"We want to do better and do differently. They [fans] have been amazing for us, and we had to do something. We have been trying, but results don’t show that. We have been working hard and everyone has been giving their best. It is not enough, and we have to do more.
"We still have two games to go, and we have to finish in the best way.
"It doesn’t exist, a captain's performance, it is a team performance. I am no different from anyone just because I have the armband. I always try my best, and we always do the best we can for the club – nobody hides that we play for a big club, and we have to lift our standards every game."
Despite returning to winning ways, United have now conceded 58 Premier League goals this season, their most across a single campaign in the competition.
Ten Hag was keen to turn the focus away from their struggling defence and onto the attacking players instead.
"Fantastic. Great goals. But it was a team effort how we made the goals. But I'm always happy at young players who are progressing very good and scored some brilliant goals," he told BBC Sport.
"Newcastle have a lot of physical power, and you have to match that, but you also have to play football. We had found the really good balance in this.
"It's always nice to win any game. It's important to win the last game at Old Trafford this season. The fans deserve this because they've had difficult times and always stayed with us.
"We are here together. We wanted to pay the fans back."
Manchester United 3-2 Newcastle United: Hojlund gets Red Devils back to winning ways
Manchester United kept their European hopes alive with a 3-2 victory over Newcastle United in their final home game of the season on Wednesday.
Amad Diallo scored his first Premier League goal to put the hosts 2-1 up in the second half, before Rasmus Hojlund came off the bench to wrap up the points.
Kobbie Mainoo had earlier netted the opener just after the half-hour mark, though the Red Devils were pegged back early in the second half through Anthony Gordon.
Lewis Hall took advantage of some slack defending in stoppage time to set up a nervy finish, but the hosts held strong to see out the win.
Erik ten Hag's side remain in eighth but are now level on points with Newcastle, who have a superior goal difference. Chelsea's win at Brighton means the Magpies drop to seventh.
Newcastle soon came under pressure as Martin Dubravka made a routine save to deny Scott McTominay before pushing away Diallo’s curler.
Mainoo then found the opening, latching onto Diallo’s throughball before picking out the bottom-left corner with his composed finish.
The Magpies responded well, and Dan Burn’s towering header was inches away from pulling them level, but Casemiro brilliantly cleared on the line.
Newcastle were rewarded for a bright start to the second half as Gordon met Jacob Murphy’s cross to fire an equaliser past Andre Onana in the 49th minute.
Less than 10 minutes later, though, Eddie Howe’s side were behind once more – Diallo latched onto a poor clearance to rifle a powerful strike past Dubravka from the edge of the box.
The hosts were indebted to Onana as he then made two big saves, smothering Sean Longstaff one-on-one and stretching to tip Joelinton’s shot over the bar.
Gordon almost levelled for a second time when his fizzed shot threatened to sneak in at the far post, but Miguel Almiron could not get the vital touch to take it over the line.
Hojlund then came off the bench and with his first touch of the ball, he held off Burn to slot a low shot through Hall's legs and into the bottom-left corner.
In the 92nd minute, Hall gave Newcastle late hope after latching onto a loose clearance and firing in a brilliant strike from distance, but they were unable to find a second.
The kids are alright
Mainoo has proven a bright spark in United's underwhelming season, and scored his third goal of the campaign here - he has given the Red Devils the lead each time he has found the back of the net.
Teenagers have now scored 10 Premier League goals for United this season (Alejandro Garnacho has seven to Mainoo's three), their third-highest tally in a single campaign after 2004-05 (15) and 2019-20 (11).
All three of United’s goalscorers were aged 21 or younger, with Hojlund scoring just 106 seconds after coming off the bench.
Away blues return for Magpies
Newcastle were looking for their third win over United in all competitions this season, but despite showing a goal threat, they struggled to convert their chances.
Their away form has improved in recent weeks, with the Magpies winning four of their last seven on the road compared to just one victory from their first 10, but they could not run out winners again here.
Howe is also still looking for his first league win in Manchester, failing to win any of his last 15 away games against either Manchester City or United (three draws, 12 defeats).
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