Diego Simeone does not anticipate any challenges when it comes to motivating his Atletico Madrid players for Saturday's trip to Sevilla in LaLiga.

Atleti's visit to the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan falls between the two legs of their Champions League quarter-final tie with domestic rivals Barcelona.

They secured a huge 2-0 win at Camp Nou in the first leg on Wednesday, with Julian Alvarez scoring a sensational free-kick right after Pau Cubarsi was sent off, before Alexander Sorloth came off the bench to extend their lead in the second half.

Barcelona have never progressed from a Champions League knockout tie after losing the first leg at home (in three attempts), leaving Atleti on the cusp of a semi-final appearance.

And given they have little to play for in LaLiga, where they sit fourth in the table and are 12 points clear of fifth-placed Real Betis, Simeone was asked how he would motivate his players.

But he believes the opportunity to impress and win more minutes for future matches should be motivation enough.

He said: "To wear the shirt we do, to represent this badge, our people, our families and the enthusiasm of the players... There are many reasons to continue game by game.

"For example, Marc [Pubill] started the season without having minutes and today, he is very important for the team. Robin [Le Normand] went through a moment when we didn't see him in the best way and now he is important again. 

"I can name more. The players all know it, and I can confirm it. To be in this place, competing in so many games, we need everyone."

Sevilla have, in recent years, been accustomed to battling for Champions League qualification themselves.

But they are currently fighting against the drop, perched in 17th place and just two points above 18th-placed Elche, leaving Simeone – who played for the club from 1992 to 1994 – to wish them well.   

"Sevilla was an important place in my career, in my life, on my way to who I am," Simeone said. 

"I wish them the best and that tomorrow we can play the game we want to play. We need the points and for the season to end in the best way."

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

Sevilla – Isaac Romero

Sevilla striker Romero has scored in two of his four LaLiga appearances against Atleti (two goals); he has not yet managed to score in three different matches against any opponent in the competition.

Atletico Madrid – Antoine Griezmann

Griezmann has scored 10 goals in the 18 matches he has played for Atleti against Sevilla in LaLiga. 

He has not scored more as a Rojiblanco against any other opponent in the competition (also netting 10 times against Celta Vigo and Valencia).

MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW

Atleti head coach Simeone has drawn nine of the 28 matches he has overseen against Sevilla in LaLiga (W15 L4).

He has only recorded more draws in the competition against Real Madrid (12) and Villarreal (11), and there may be little to separate the teams here, if the visitors rotate.

Atleti have lost four of their last eight LaLiga matches (W4), twice as many defeats as they suffered in their previous 21 games in the competition (W13 D6 L2).

They are also the team that have dropped the most points from winning positions in LaLiga in 2025-26 (22), their highest tally in a campaign since at least 2010-11.

Sevilla have 31 points in LaLiga (W8 D7 L15), and none of the last nine instances of a team having exactly 31 points after 30 games of a season have seen that side suffer relegation, since Alaves went down in 2005-06.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Sevilla – 38.3%

Atletico Madrid – 33.5%

Draw – 28.2%