REAL SOCIEDAD

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Atletico Madrid coach Cesar Ferrando has strongly denied suggestions he will leave the capital club at the end of the season as he looks to pick his side up from their injury-time defeat to Villarreal last weekend.

Speculation in the press has suggested that relations between the club's board and Ferrando had become strained as the Rojiblancos continued to struggle in their push for a place in Europe next season.

Atletico are ninth in the table, five points adrift of the UEFA Cup places.

An impressive 2-0 victory over league leaders Barcelona in the Nou Camp three weeks ago raised expectations that Ferrando's team had finally hit some form.

But a poor 0-0 draw at home to 10-man Levante, and then last weekend's capitulation from a commanding 2-0 lead at Villarreal, which ended in a 3-2 defeat, seems to have raised frustration levels to new highs.

``All this speculation has started because I said that I would evaluate my position on June 30. My intention is to stay here until the end of my contract in June 2006,'' said Ferrando.

``I want to stay here. Everyone is working hard, and things are going well. Where could I go that would be better than here? We hope that everything will go well and that I will be here not just for another year, but for 20 years.''

Ferrando went on to admit that it had been difficult to pick his side up from last weekend's defeat: ``What happened against Villarreal is forgotten now. We cannot live in the past.

``We have had a tough week, but now we have to think about Sunday. We have to go back to working hard and to continue improving as we have been, because that is the only way to get into the European places.''

Midfielders Carlos Aguilera and Peter Luccin are doubts for Sunday as is striker Salva Ballesta.

Real Sociedad, who are 12th, visit the Vicente Calderon having won their last two games but without their leading scorer, Turkish international Nihat Kahveci, who has scored 13 goals for the Basque side this season.

Nihat, who has just had surgery on his left knee ligaments, will be out for up to six months.

Sociedad coach Jose Maria Amorrortu claimed the side had to deal with the loss of Nihat: ``We have to be positive. Sometimes bad luck strikes us personally or in sport but we have to get over it.

``Obviously Nihat has his own special qualities, but we have the solution within our own squad. We have had other setbacks this year with injuries to players like [Jeremie] Brechet and [Igor] Jauregi, yet the others have responded to that challenge.''

The side from San Sebastian recorded a 1-0 win over Atletico at home earlier this season and Amorrortu is confident of collecting another three points despite the loss of Nihat.

``Perhaps Atletico are not getting the results they would have hoped for at present, and they feel the need to perform. This could help us psychologically during the game,'' he added.

Amorrortu has defender Luiz Alberto suspended, but can count on French defender Brechet who has been out for five months with an injury.

One of Oscar De Paula, Gari Uranga or Jose Bakero could be used as a replacement for Nihat, alongside Darko Kovacevic up front.

The loss of Nihat is a huge blow to Sociedad today, they have only won once away in their last four games, and I think Athletico will just edge this one today. Get ON!
 

Recommendation:	ATHLETICO @  8/11 with BLUESQ
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