Diego Simeone is not one to sugar-coat things, and ahead of Atletico Madrid’s UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg against Barcelona, the Argentine made his position crystal clear.
With the game set to take place at the iconic Spotify Camp Nou, the stakes could not be higher.
Coming into this clash, Atletico are still licking their wounds after a narrow 2-1 defeat to Barcelona in La Liga just days ago.
However, Simeone made it evident that his side is not travelling just to make up the numbers.
Speaking to the media, he explained the magnitude of the occasion and the challenge ahead.
“They’re a major opponent at a crucial stage of the competition. There are no minor opponents, especially in the quarterfinals and semifinals.
“You know what Barcelona is capable of, how strong they are at home. We’re here to compete and take the game where we think we can hurt them.”
Where can Atletico hurt Barcelona?
Naturally, that statement raised the obvious question – where exactly can Atletico hurt Barcelona?
Simeone, staying true to his guarded approach, chose not to reveal too much tactically but still delivered a confident response.
“Tomorrow at 9 p.m., I hope we can show that.”
There has been ongoing debate around Atletico’s balance between attack and defence this season, especially against high-scoring teams like Barcelona.
Simeone addressed this directly, offering a candid assessment of both sides.
“All teams defend worse when they attack. Barcelona is one of them. They have the ability to score a lot of goals, and that suits their style of play.
“We’re in the process of attacking better than we defend.”
Previous elimination of Barcelona
Interestingly, Atletico already have experience overcoming Barcelona in knockout football this season, having eliminated them in the Copa del Rey.
When asked whether that gives his team a psychological edge, Simeone kept his response grounded yet optimistic.
“We know where we stand and who we’re going to face. We’re really excited and we need to keep moving forward.”
There was also a slightly surprising moment during the press conference when Simeone played down concerns about suspensions.
Despite multiple players on both sides being one booking away from missing the second leg, he brushed it aside.
“I’m not aware of the yellow cards.”
Finally, when the conversation shifted towards dreams of lifting the Champions League trophy, Simeone once again brought the focus back to the immediate challenge, which is facing Barcelona.
“I’m not dreaming of the Champions League; I’m only thinking about Barça,” he concluded.
Source: AS
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