Gabi: Atletico Madrid suffering toughest spell under Diego Simeone

Atletico Madrid captain Gabi said the team were going through their worst spell under Diego Simeone after Monday's 3-0 defeat at Villarreal.

Atleti have now lost four of their last six La Liga games to fall 12 points behind leaders Real Madrid.

The defeat at El Madrigal equalled the team's worst result since Simeone took charge in December 2011, and they now have their lowest points total after 15 games under the Argentine -- 10 fewer than at this stage last season.

Speaking on Cadena Ser's El Larguero radio show after the game, Gabi said: "It is the most difficult [run], for sure.

"We have had five years of total success, but we need to show that we are a real team.

"Mentally we have to clear our heads, to return to be being this ambitious team which is motivated to win, as soon as possible.

"The only way out of difficult situations is to work hard and be together."

Atletico are now sixth in the table and Gabi said challenging for the title "is going to be very difficult now for sure."

He added: "We should not think about such long-term objectives now. Our objective is to win our next game, to beat Las Palmas [on Saturday].

"Keeping clean sheets used to be our strength. We have to work together more than ever to defend better and take our chances in attack."

Atletico missed chances against Villarreal, with Koke hitting a post at 0-0 and Antoine Griezmann failing with an opportunity at 1-0.

"We're annoyed after the result, which was not what we deserved, but it was a heavy defeat and we're leaving Villarreal hurting," Gabi added.

"We are not having luck in front of goal. We hope this changes as soon as possible.

"All we can do is keep working to turn this situation around. It's clear that criticism will come now, but we must all be together.

"Now we must be more united than ever, not worry about the criticism or look outside."

Atletico Madrid's new stadium to be named 'Wanda Metropolitano'

Atletico have announced plans to move to former athletics stadium La Peineta on the outskirts of Madrid.

Atletico Madrid's new stadium will officially be called the "Wanda Metropolitano," the La Liga club have confirmed.

Atletico first announced plans in 2009 to move from the centrally located Estadio Vicente Calderon to a new home in the former athletics stadium La Peineta on the outskirts of the city.

The project has been hit by various setbacks over the years, but funding from Chinese conglomerate Wanda Group has solidified the club's finances, and Atletico are now aiming to start the 2017-18 season in their new 70,000-seat home.

The news was announced on Friday afternoon by Atletico president Enrique Cerezo at the Calderon, where a new redesign of their club badge was also confirmed.

"We have reached an agreement with Wanda Group to give a name to our new stadium," Cerezo said. "They are without doubt our best travelling partner for this journey. Our new home, our new stadium, will be called Wanda Metropolitano -- a name full of history and future, a perfect name for all Atletico Madrid supporters."

Before their 50 years at the Vicente Calderon, Atletico played from 1923 to 1966 at the Stadium Metropolitano de Madrid -- making it the club's first real permanent home.

Atletico boyhood fan and current centre-forward Fernando Torres said that the new ground's "surname" would bring back emotional memories for the older Rojiblanco supporters -- fitting with a tear-jerking black and white promotional video the club had prepared.

"My grandfather has told me about the Metropolitano, I know what it means for the Atleticos," Torres said. "In these modern times, it is lucky to have a partner like Wanda. For those who have Atleti blood the surname makes us emotional too, it is beautiful. All my memories are at the Calderon, but maybe someday I can tell my grandfather I played at the Metropolitano."

Speaking from Beijing where he had earlier on Friday signed the final agreement with Wanda, Atletico chief executive Miguel Angel Gil Marin said that the partnership between two leading global brands was mutually beneficial.

"Wanda and Atletico are two brands which are growing and are known globally," Gil Marin said. "This will help that continue. The relationship with Wanda makes us more global. The change of stadium is not an isolated act -- it is a step forward towards modernity."

Wanda chairman Wang Jianlin also spoke via video-link to say he was pleased his company were associated with a stadium with the potential to host a Champions League or Europa League final.

"We believe this deal will help grow the name of Wanda in Europe," he said. "I hope some day a European final will be played in the stadium."

Atletico coach Diego Simeone was also present at the event, and showed a characteristic focus on the team's performance on the pitch being most important.

"This is a special day, with a lot of nostalgia, and excitement," Simeone said. "For me the only thing to say is we must win each Sunday."

In October, 48 percent of respondents to a Marca online poll said they would prefer "Estadio Luis Aragones," with 17 percent choosing "Nuevo Calderon" and just 8.5 percent wanting a sponsor's name on their new home.

Atletico Madrid line up Griezmann replacement amid fears he'll join Man Utd

Reports suggest that the Spanish club have identified £30 million Monaco winger Thomas Lemar as the man they want to sign should the France forward leave for Old Trafford.

Atletico Madrid are targeting Monaco winger Thomas Lemar amid fears that Antoine Griezmann will join Manchester United, according to Squawka.

The Spanish club will have to cough up a fee of £30 million, however, as they attempt to ward off competition from the likes of Manchester City and Bayern Munich.

The move for Lemar, who fears he wouldn't get sufficient first-team opportunities at City or Bayern, comes as the Liga title chasers plan for a future without star man Griezmann, who is attracting interest from United and Chelsea.

France international Griezmann has been strongly linked with a switch to Old Trafford in recent weeks, with the 25-year-old having previously admitted that he talks about the club, and manager Jose Mourinho, with Paul Pogba.

Radamel Falcao: No regrets about Premier League spell

Monaco striker Radamel Falcao has insisted his Premier League experience with Manchester United and Chelsea was not a flop, claiming he drew "positive things" from it.

Falcao, 30, moved to United on loan from Monaco in the summer of 2014, but scored just four goals in 26 Premier League appearances for them.

The following summer, the Colombia international joined Chelsea for the season, where both Jose Mourinho and his successor, Guus Hiddink, rarely used him, handing him just a single top-flight start.

"I had the opportunity to play in the Premier League, and I did it. I have kept the positive things of that experience," he told reporters ahead of Monaco's Champions League game at home to CSKA Moscow on Wednesday. "I developed as a player but also as a man."

Falcao returned to Monaco in the summer, where he signed a five-year deal when he joined them from Atletico Madrid in 2013.

"Now I'm back at Monaco. I try to enjoy it as much as possible, to string games together to get back to my best," he said. "I have always been able to overcome difficulties during my career. It'll be the same now."

Falcao's career in England got off to a slow start as he was still recovering from a serious knee-ligament injury sustained in January 2014 during a Coupe de France game with Monaco, which forced him to miss that year's World Cup.

Earlier this week, Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim criticised his player's decision to move to England when he should have been focusing on getting back to full fitness.

"Falcao's problem wasn't only his knee injury but also that he left to go and play elsewhere for two seasons, in Manchester and then at Chelsea," Jardim said. "He tried to continue playing at a high level when normally when you have an injury like that, you stay at your club to try and get back quickly."