Diego Simeone has admitted there's "no justification" for Atlético Madrid's poor start in LaLiga, which has seen the team pick up just two points from their opening three games this season.
Atlético made eight new signings this summer -- including Álex Baena, Johnny Cardoso and Thiago Almada -- as they look to compete with Real Madrid and Barcelona for the LaLiga title.
However, a disastrous start to the campaign has seen them lose 2-1 at Espanyol and draw 1-1 with both newly promoted Elche and Alavés, to leave them seven points behind leaders Real.
Speaking in an hour-long interview on COPE radio on Tuesday night, Simeone said he "wouldn't hide" from criticism, and insisted he hasn't grown over-comfortable at Atlético after 14 years in charge.
"In difficult moments, you shouldn't hide," Simeone said. "I don't hide ... last year at one time we were 10 points behind Barcelona, and then by December we were first.
"We accept criticism, it's fair. We haven't got the points we could have. But the important thing is to find the team and improve day by day... it isn't all bad, I assure you. But I don't want to justify the two points we have, there's no justification. I live by points. I'd rather play badly and get points. This time, we haven't played so badly, but we've got fewer points."
Simeone has led Atlético to two league title wins, in 2014 and 2021, as well as two Europa Leagues, in 2012 and 2018, and losing two Champions League finals, in 2014 and 2016.
Last season they topped the LaLiga table in December, before fading away to finish third, while they were eliminated by Real Madrid in the Champions League, and Barcelona in the Copa del Rey.
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"Before we couldn't talk about this, now we can, and we can allow ourselves to dream. But the reality is the reality, we shouldn't fool anyone," Simeone said, when asked about the difficulty of competing with the two giants. "Raphinha is Raphinha, Lamine is Lamine, Lewandowski is Lewandowski. Mbappé is Mbappé, Vinícius is Vinícius ... we've won against [Lionel] Messi's Barcelona and Cristiano [Ronaldo]'s Real Madrid. If we give 110%, we can do it. When we give 80%, we finish third."
When LaLiga returns this weekend after the international break, Atlético have a tough fixture, hosting third-placed Villarreal, while Real Madrid visit Real Sociedad and Barcelona play Valencia.
"I know we have to win [trophies]," Simeone said. "I knew it four years ago [when they won the league]. If Atlético want to keep growing, we have to win again. We won in 1996, 2014, 2021 ... and we have to win again. Finishing third doesn't make me happy."