Diego Simeone explains Thomas Lemar decision

Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone has revealed that he left Thomas Lemar out of his starting XI for Tuesday's Champions League clash with Monaco due to Angel Correa's superior understanding of the team's style.

Lemar has been a regular for Atletico since his arrival from Monaco during the summer, but the Frenchman was named on the bench against his former club on Tuesday night.

Simeone was asked about his decision regarding the 22-year-old after the match, and the Argentine has explained his reasons for selecting Correa on the right of the midfield.

"Correa has been at the club for four years and is more accustomed to our style of play," Simeone told reporters. "I thought that because of the profile of the match and the opponent, he would be a perfect fit for the attack.

"Thomas Lemar knows that earning a spot in the first team is very difficult and he will have to work extremely hard, but he is a big player for our future."

First-half goals from Diego Costa and Jose Gimenez proved enough for Atletico to record a 2-1 win at Monaco.