Diego Simeone Confident Ahead of Real Madrid Showdown and Eyes Champions League Final
Atletico Madrid is set to play Real Madrid in a UEFA Champions League Round of 16 clash on March 12. The first leg ended in a 2-1 win for Los Blancos at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The stakes are high for the UCL game, as a last-eight spot is on the line. Atleti needs to mount a comeback to stay in the competition.
Diego Simeone, however, is confident and shows trust in his players, and aims to in the final.
He told the media in a recent press conference:
I believe in my players, I trust this squad. I absolutely understand the heart they have and I have no doubt that we will be looking to stay in the Champions League. Our objective is to play in the final. Football has different scenarios that happen during the game. We will go through difficult moments... The coolness, clarity and quality of the footballers will decide. The game is going to go that way.Diego Simeone
Simeone is also cherishing the chance to play in front of his home supporters in the second leg. He said:
Our people will push us, but the reality is what happens on the pitch. We're not going to win just because of what happens in the stands. We have to play a great game.Diego Simeone
The Madrid derby is always an electric occasion, and in a Champions League knockout game, the stakes are sky-high.
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Apratim is an experienced sports journalist having covered European and World Football, Combat Sports, Olympic Sports, and more for online media publications like Sportskeeda, EssentiallySports, and more. He is currently an MSc. in Sport Marketing student at Loughborough University, London.