Simeone: I am not a magician!

Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has been keen to encourage Julian Alvarez to resume his goal-scoring streak after the striker ended a two-month drought. Alvarez quickly climbed to 10 goals this season before struggling to find his form in December and January. The Argentine striker came under increased scrutiny, but he responded with a pivotal role in his team's 4-0 Copa del Rey victory over Barcelona last Thursday, scoring his first goal since December 9. Ahead of the Rayo Vallecano match, Simeone told a press conference: "Julian's performance in the first half was absolutely outstanding. Scoring is natural for him, thank God he's scored again. It's something he really needs, and it will certainly give him more freedom going forward." The 3-2 win over Rayo Vallecano in September sparked a run of eight wins in nine La Liga matches, but Atletico Madrid have struggled with inconsistency in recent weeks. Atletico Madrid's disappointing finish in the Champions League group stage meant they failed to secure direct qualification for the round of 16 and now face a playoff against Belgian side Club Brugge. Before that, they will play Rayo Vallecano, a match Atletico enter buoyed by their 4-0 victory over Barcelona. Simeone said: "I have faith in the team, in what we are doing, and in our fans." He added: "I'm not a magician who can predict what will happen, but I felt the team could deliver a performance like the one they did."