Atletico Madrid sports chief Jesus Garcia Pitarch is convinced they made the right decision not signing Villarreal midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme in August.

Pitarch declared: "The sense of expectancy is normal. But there are external factors: the media, which give their opinion and the fans wanted him, but it was not to be. The reality is another one.

"Speaking with those around the player and the information that we handled, I see the decision as getting better every day. I am glad to have not signed him.

"If he hadn't played well against Chile, we wouldn't be talking about him. But that's football. There's always debate."