Diego Simeone hailed a much-needed victory over Celta Vigo after Atletico Madrid's four-game winless run in all competitions was ended on Sunday.
While Atleti are unbeaten in LaLiga, a Champions League reverse against Chelsea and consecutive draws against Leganes, Barcelona and Qarabag had threatened to give their season a rather concerning complexion.
But Kevin Gameiro, returning to the starting line-up after injury, netted in Vigo to hand Atleti the hard-fought three points that their poor form demanded, as Simeone acknowledged.
"This victory is very important because it was needed," he said. "It leaves us in a good moment.
"It was a long wait for a victory - that's why we worked as we worked. The important thing is that we proved to know how to suffer and we do not care what we must do to get a result.
"We faced a team that was scoring in every game. The victory is good."
Atleti have another eight games between the Celta clash and the end of November - including a Madrid derby and two key European fixtures - and Simeone is now hopeful his team can kick on.
"We hope that this will free us in the face of what is coming," he added. "It is a complex week [with matches against Elche and Villarreal] in which we will look at how we can be the best possible.
"We needed this victory. There are teams that have that need and today Atletico did."
