TURIN, ITALY (AFP) - Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone warned on Monday (March 11) that there was more to Juventus than striker Cristiano Ronaldo as the Spanish side look to "seize their opportunity" in Turin and maintain their push for a first Champions League title.
Simeone's side take a 2-0 lead into the second leg of their last 16 clash with Juve at the Allianz Stadium on Tuesday (March 12), and are clear favourites to make the quarter-finals at the expense of a team who signed Ronaldo from Real Madrid last summer with the goal of winning the Champions League for the first time since 1996.
"You can't just talk about Ronaldo, Juventus are a great team with top players who are used to fighting important battles and are very strong in defence," said Simeone, who insisted there were no favourites despite his team's clear advantage.
"These are two different matches, the first leg and second leg. We'll have to seize all the opportunities and do our best, we'll have less space than in the first leg.
"These are two strong teams, one will go through and the other won't. It's hard to talk about there being favourites." Atletico have injury worries but Simeone said central defender Diego Godin was fit to play.
"Godin is fine, he'll train today and I expect him to play tomorrow. I'll make do with what I have at my disposal," he said.
Reigning European champions Real Madrid have already crashed out of the competition, with Zinedine Zidane returning as coach of the stumbling Spanish giants.
But Simeone refused to comment on the Frenchman's return to the Santiago Bernabeu just over nine months after he resigned.
"With all the respect I have for him I don't think its right to talk about Zidane before a match between Atletico and Juventus," said the former Argentina midfielder, who played for Juve's hated rivals Inter Milan during his six-year spell as a player in Italy.
Midfielder Koke warned they were ready for a "battle" with Juventus, who are dominant in Italy but have struggled to turn domestic success into European glory.
"Anything could happen in the Champions League, a lot will depend on how we start the game," the Spain international said.
"They will certainly attack in every possible way, we're ready to do battle.
"We know that we are facing a great team. We played very well at the Wanda Metropolitano and come here convinced we can put in a similar performance, but have to give our all."
"What keeps happening with Bale is a real shame. I like him a lot as a player but he is nowhere near being the leader of the team after Cristiano Ronaldo left," Mijatovic told Spanish radio station Cadena Ser. "It's worrying that he gets injured so often."
Bale 'nowhere near' being Madrid's leader, says Mijatovic
Jurgen Klopp believes his Liverpool squad could not have done more to take their first ever Premier League title after falling just short to Manchester City on the last day of the season.
Cristiano Ronaldo's Juventus will play the pre-season International Champions Cup in Asia and not in the United States amid the Portugal star's rape investigation there. Juve to avoid US pre-season amid Ronaldo rape claims - report | Sport24
Cristiano Ronaldo, Juventus Won't Play in US ICC Matches Amid
Football: Spurs beaten for first time in new stadium
Olaroiu tells Al Ahli: Forget past matches and focus on the game at hand despite Makhete Diop's brace within two minutes to subdue the Hawks. And for this we need to stay focused all the
Conte: We have to stay focused - Premier League
Eden Hazard can leave Chelsea if he wants, says manager Maurizio Sarri Eden Hazard has been linked with a move to Spanish side Real Madrid in recent months and the Belgium international had said
Eden Hazard should leave Chelsea if he wants, says Maurizio
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp speaking to referee Kevin Friend after the game at West Ham. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has been fined £45,000 after accepting a Football Association charge for
Liverpool's Klopp fined over referee comments - punchng.com
Chelsea's Giroud Seeks France Return To Boost Game Time Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud wants to move back to France when his contract expires at the end of the season after growing frustrated by
Olivier Giroud seeks France return to boost game time
Dec 18, 2018 · Manchester United are hopeful of announcing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as their caretaker manager after the sacking of José Mourinho on Tuesday morning, with the club intent on appointing a permanent
Football | Manchester United sack Jose Mourinho - THE SEASON
She explains the two types of workplace respect, how to communicate them, and what happens when you don't foster both. Or is this a place right now where people feel if they share their best
The 4 Kinds of Professional Respect: Which Ones Have to Be
Claude Puel has spoken of his "honour" at being given the opportunity to manage Leicester following his sacking at the weekend. The 57-year-old Frenchman's 16-month reign came to an end after Saturday's 4-1 home defeat to Crystal Palace, Leicester's sixth defeat in seven matches.
Sacked Puel says an 'honour' to manage Leicester
Football: AC Milan miss out on top-four finish in Serie A
Draft up on web. Registration up and running for you early birds! Ken checked with Ayr and we are foiled again perhaps for good with stop signs going in downtown!
Frequently Asked Questions - Hamilton Beach FAQs
United, Spurs, Juve and Inter ready to heat up ICC Singapore Now into its third year in Singapore, the International Champions Cup (ICC) is set for its most exciting edition yet with Serie A heavyweights Juventus and Inter Milan, and English Premier League (EPL) giants Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur confirming their participation
United, Spurs, Juve and Inter ready to heat up ICC S'pore
0 Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen