Simeone Hails Atletico Madrid's Classic Opener Against Villarreal as a Draw

All the goals were scored in the first half, including a stunning strike from new signing Alexander Sorloth against his former team, making it the fourth goal of the game.

Simeone said later: "Classic match of the first round, we are finding ourselves with the difficulties that the rivals present, against an opponent with good players from the midfield forward.

"We received goals that we could have avoided, improved with a collective situation and aimed to work in those situations. In the context it was a good game, we had the 2-1 with Lino and then the goal was against us. In the second half it was a more open game, any mistake was going to penalize the opponent, it is the first date playing away from home, I am left with positive things and individual things to improve."

He also said: "Sorloth was working well in the game, he understood that he had not participated as much until the goal and we needed a player like (Angel) Correa who participated more. He did what he had to do.

"We need him to grow in another part of the game. The changes, some performed better than others and made the game not known if it was going one way or the other."