Atletico coach says Filipe Luis to play La Liga opener vs Valencia

Madrid, Aug 19: Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone confirmed on Sunday that defender Filipe Luis is to appear in his side's La Liga opener against Valencia, despite rumours about the Brazil international's possible move to Paris Saint-Germain before the transfer window closes at the end of the month.

Simeone said his entire 20-player squad, including Filipe Luis, is focused solely on Monday's away game against Valencia, reports Efe.

"We're going to face one of the most important teams in La Liga," Simeone said at a press conference on the eve of the match, adding that Filipe Luis is a "very important" player for the team.

The Brazilian defender trained as normal on Sunday, and is set to start against Valencia, replacing his teammate Lucas Hernandez.

Hernandez had started ahead of Filipe Luis on August 15, when Atletico won the UEFA Super Cup title, beating Champions League winner Real Madrid 4-2.