'Griezmann has shown that he wants to be with us'

"I'm not good at numbers," replied the coach, when asked about how he will calculate whether the French international will continue with Atletico next year.

He then continued by saying: "I saw him playing today, the way he competed, that he gave himself up, knowing that it was the last game (of the season) at Wanda, the union there was with people, who greeted the fans, how he was with them ...".

"Situations that are normal for a very important footballer for us. He is one of the captains who, after Godin's departure, will become second captain. We give him all we have. The club has made every effort for him to be with us and he has given us joy, enthusiasm and wants to be here," Simeone continued at the press conference.

Atletico secured second place on Sunday with a draw against Sevilla. "The match was very well read especially in the first half, where we controlled them, we were comfortable in the game, we found the advantage ... In the second half we were paralyzed a little, Sevilla grew, needing to win the match. It was a match of lower quality," he said.

"Also, we won the point we needed to finish second. We are not happy to finish second, we are happy, because people have to understand that in a championship with Real Madrid and Barcelona, the best in the world, we did well," he said.

"That maybe next year can bring us closer to aspire to something more,  knowing where we have to start to be at the top, which is to be champions," insisted the coach, after the match against Sevilla, at which the fans at the Wanda Metropolitano paid tribute to Diego Godin, who will leave Atletico to play for Inter.

"Little by little many of my players are starting to go. It's true that they have been here for seven or eight years after we found them at 26 or 27 years old. We were able to squeeze the best out of each of them. Seeing the scenario of Diego (Godín) the truth is that I'm very happy, because this is an improvement on the part of the club, to give it a place it deserves, as it did with Gabi or Fernando (Torres)," he said.

"It speaks of a huge growth on the part of the club and not all players can say goodbye the way these guys have done. There was a respect in the silence waiting for him to speak and nobody left the stadium. It makes me very happy," Simeone added.

Atletico lose Diego Godin and Lucas Hernandez for the new season and perhaps Filipe Luis and Juanfran Torres, whose contracts both end soon.

"The aim of the club has always been to make an enormous effort for a lot of very important footballers. When we didn't have a lot of possibilities and heaven and earth were moving for Falcao to stay, it was a big step for the club. And consequently, with Oblak, with Griezmann, with us... There are always changes. And you have to be prepared to get through them," he said.

And he also recalled the "physical difficulties" this season and hoped they would not repeat in the next. "We hope to be able to resolve these situations, because of course it is a virtue and a necessity in the way we play," he said.

"This year, since the beginning of the season, that if Godín left or stayed, that if Filipe left or stayed, Lucas (signed by Bayern Munich) disappeared, no longer matters. I do not know what happened, we had to use Montero, Toni Moya, Saul left winger, Costa was injured ... And so with all the drawbacks, we are second. We'll have to try to solve all these paths that led us to these difficulties and position ourselves to know that we play as a team," he said.