Makel Lopez: 'In China they asked me a lot about Madrid and Cristiano'

Makel Lopez: 'In China they asked me a lot about Madrid and Cristiano'

Makel Lopez, Atletico Madrid coach, has shared his experience in China, where he was invited to train a month in the Guangxi National Tournament. In an interview, he talked about Chinese football and its potential to develop high-level players.

What happened in China?

Makel Lopez was invited to train a month in the Guangxi National Tournament, where he supervised all categories. 'The opportunity arose thanks to my Asian agent Domingo Liu Biu. He told me, I accepted it immediately and it was a great experience in all aspects', he explained.

How is Chinese football?

Makel Lopez described Chinese football as 'very strong physically and very disciplined players'. However, he also emphasized that they need to improve in understanding the game and tactics. 'They need to work more in methodology to be able to develop players for their national teams or top-level teams', he emphasized.

What did they ask him about Atletico Madrid?

Makel Lopez admitted that in China they asked him a lot about Atletico Madrid and his experience in the club. 'They asked me about the club's dimension, about the daily work in Valdebebas, how we organized the coaches', he remembered.

What comes next?

Makel Lopez has highlighted that he would like to make a career in China and believes that the country has a great potential to develop high-level players. 'I think it's a nation, right now, the first at the world level', he stated.

Currently, Atletico Madrid is in fourth place in the league, with 69 points and a streak of 4 wins in the last 5 games. Their next game is against Villarreal at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium, on August 23, 2026, in a match that will be crucial to determine the fate of the season.