Diego Simeone Issues Rallying Cry Ahead of Crucial Champions League Tie Against Qarabag

Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone believes they cannot drop any more points as his side face a crucial Champions League tie against Azerbaijani side Qarabag.

The sides played out a 0-0 draw when they met 13 days ago, and according to reports in the Daily Mail, Simeone knows the importance of the game at the Wanda Metropolitano this evening. 

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Simeone stated: "It is an important match for the club, the fans, the players, me.

"We'll play it knowing this. We want to do well and carry on growing and will go into it like that." 

It has been an indifferent start for  Atletico Madrid this season both domestically and in Europe. The recent two-time Champions League finalists played out a 1-1 draw against Villarreal over the weekend that sees them 4th in La Liga, level on points with city rivals Real Madrid. 

Despite sitting 3rd in Group C, three points off AS Roma and five points off Chelsea, Simeone is confident he can turn the club's fortunes around in what will be a big couple of months for the Spanish side.

He continued, stating: "We haven't started that well in the Champions League. We deserved to win in Rome and Chelsea were very good here.

"Our success in the last few years in all competitions means that if we don't get an excellent result there's criticism, but we need to live with that if we want to achieve excellence. 

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"We want Atletico to be among the best sides in the world. It'd be bad if I wasn't worried - if I were relaxed then that would be bad."

After Tuesday evening's Champions League tie against Qarabag, Atletico Madrid host AS Roma in three weeks time before a crucial tie against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge at the beginning of December.