Atlético Madrid coach Diego Simeone previewed the UEFA Champions League last 16 second leg against Tottenham by explaining how his side would handle their 5-2 lead from the first leg.
Simeone insisted that Atlético “need to play the match where it is,” highlighting that “there’s a three-goal difference and we need to get the result.
“The best thing is to score first to put them in a more uncomfortable position,” Simeone explained.
Diego Simeone on how a three-goal lead affects preparations
“We always talk about the same thing: we try to carry on playing the way we started
at the Metropolitano, and there will be different situations that allow us to execute our game plan.”
Simeone on reaching the quarter-finals
“We’ll keep competing in the same way. Sometimes we’ll go further, sometimes we won’t, but the competitive edge remains, and we hope to take the match to where we can hurt them. They’re an intense side, buoyed by the enthusiasm of their fans who’ll be there from the start, and the excitement the competition brings. We’re playing against all of that.”
Simeone on Atleti being the second-highest scoring team in the Champions League
“I don’t dwell on the number of goals to be objective or not. A team tries to be complete, and whether it succeeds or not depends on its attacking and defensive strength.”
Simeone on Julián reaching 100 appearances on Wednesday
“You know how much I trust and believe in him. He’s a player I trust, and I want him to play many more matches here and keep adding to those numbers.”
Simeone on talking with Juan Musso
“Juan and I are always in touch. Not just because he might start tomorrow. He’s someone who has settled into the squad very well, and hopefully he can maintain his form because he’s doing very well at the moment.”
Simeone on recent form
“We’re fully aware of the reality. And we’re the architects of our own reality.”
Simeone on Musso (again)
“We’ve always had strong goalkeepers and the lads have given us everything they’ve got. Today Juan is performing as expected and we’re pleased with his work.”
Simeone on Marcos Llorente’s good stats against English teams
“He’s important in any match, not just against the English sides. His form has gone from strength to strength. He wasn’t even in the squad when he first arrived, but he competed and proved he was ready for this huge step from that La Liga title-winning year to today, and he’s absolutely vital within the squad we have.”
Simeone on Cuti Romero being available
“As an Argentina fan, I admire his personality, his playing style and his defensive work. And certainly, as a fan who has watched more matches with the national team than with Tottenham, I am clearly a fan of his.”
The other representative put forward to face the media was American midfielder Johnny Cardoso.
Johnny Cardoso on his season
“It was a tough start, with a couple of injuries, but I’m feeling great now. I can tell I’m making a contribution and helping the team. I know I can do a lot more for my teammates and the coaching staff, and that’s my goal.”
Johnny on the atmosphere in the dressing room
“We’re not taking the lead for granted. We’re a very intense team and we’re here to win the match. They’re an opponent who haven’t conceded or lost at home in the Champions League, and we’re here to win the match.”
Johnny on lessons from the Copa del Rey
“We can take a lot of lessons from that match (against Barcelona at Camp Nou). We’ve worked hard, we know the mistakes we made and what we can improve for this match. I have complete confidence in the team.”
Johnny on Atlético being the second-highest scorers in the Champions League
“We know we’re scoring a lot of goals, but we’re taking it one game at a time. It’s a difficult match against a very strong opponent and hopefully we can create and capitalise on our chances.”
Johnny on Musso’s form
“We have a lot of confidence in all the players in the team. Musso gives us a lot of confidence, just like Oblak, and we have two top-class goalkeepers. There’s a lot of confidence in both of them.”
