Diego Simeone jokes that Atletico Madrid players 'can't play in my team' if they don't have enough sex

Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has joked that players in his team can't play if they do not have sex a certain number of times a month.

Simeone has been in charge of Atletico since 2011, managing 627 matches. The Argentine also made 164 appearances for the Spanish outfit as a player across two spells.

This campaign has been mixed for Atletico who sit third in La Liga going into this weekend's final match of the season against Villarreal but were also eliminated from the Champions League in the group stages earlier this term.

Speaking ahead of the match, Simeone gave a wide-ranging interview to Spanish radio program 'El Partidazo de COPE' and was strangely asked about his sex life by host Joseba Larranaga.

Larrangana noted that a recent study found that the average person in Spain has sex 56 times a year, to which the Atletico boss said: "How many did you say? 56… 56 a year… How many is that a month? Four a month? Not four a month…" Simeone responded, before joking: "With four times a month you can't play in my team." And when asked to clarify his statement, Simeone added: "15 a month? I'm not going to say… but we have a good average."

The 53-year-old has one year remaining on his contract having won two La Liga titles, two Europa Leagues and reaching the Champions League final twice and remained adamant that he is keen to stay on despite links to other high-profile jobs.

"We have one more year on our contract and I'm focused on continuing to give my best," he said.

"At the moment the priority is not my contract, if we have to talk about it we will do it later when Miguel [Angel Gil, Atletico's CEO] believes that it is the most appropriate time. The priority is another."

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Simeone also addressed Joao Felix's future at the club after Chelsea decided not to make his loan switch permanent.

"It is a lie to say that we did not play well because Joao Felix was there. And if he was now he would be playing well too," the Argentine said.

"I don't clash with him, I'm clear with him and I tell him what I feel. He knows what my coaching profile is and he knows that I like to train with a lot of happiness.

"He has enormous qualities, he hits well with his left foot, he heads well, with his right foot, and has vision of the game. He will be what he wants to be. I have no problem with anyone."