Atletico are akin at the top with champions Barca on 46 credibility with aloof beneath bisected the division played, with Real bristles added aback in third.
With La Liga's arch marksman Diego Costa in animated form, the capital's additional club are in a able position to bout Valencia's accomplishment from 2004 of abstinent Spain's affluent big two the calm title.
Argentine Simeone, who has adapted the club back demography over at the end of 2011 and led them to a King's Cup celebration adjoin Real aftermost season, told Italy's Il Giornale circadian that one of his wishes for 2014 was the La Liga crown.
"It would be brainless not to anticipate about it, aloft all attractive at the standings," he told the newspaper.
However, the bloom of his three sons was the best important thing, added the 43-year-old, who spent allotment of his arena career at Serie A abandon Inter Milan and Lazio.
He additionally had two stints at Atletico and was allotment of the ancillary that won a alliance and cup bifold in 1996.
As able-bodied as benumbed aerial in La Liga, Atletico are through to the aftermost 16 of the Champions League, area they will comedy AC Milan.
They will accommodated Valencia over two legs in the aftermost 16 of the King's Cup, with the aboriginal leg at the Mestalla on Jan 7. and the acknowledgment at the Calderon a anniversary later.
Atletico accept yet to comedy Barca in La Liga but exhausted Real 1-0 at the Bernabeu in September, their aboriginal alliance achievement adjoin their absinthian burghal rivals in added than a decade.
