Simeone: "We Have to Demand More of Ourselves"
Diego Simeone, coach of Atlético de Madrid, explained that his team must "rise to the occasion" and demand "more" of themselves in the new Champions League season, where they "have to win," as he predicted that the top eight teams in the group stage will have more than 20 points.
His team is participating in this tournament for the twelfth consecutive season. "For Atlético de Madrid fans and the club, it has been an enormous giant step, every day more so. We have to rise to the occasion and demand more of ourselves, knowing the difficulties of this competition and without losing sight of the game-by-game mentality," he warned.
"It's always exciting to compete in the Champions League again. I imagine a stadium eager to see this competition, to see their team back in an important tournament. I hope that we can all transmit from the ground all the energy and excitement that we are talking about," he expressed in a press conference this Wednesday at the Cívitas Metropolitano stadium, ahead of Thursday's match against Leipzig.
The coach sees "everything positive" in the format change. "You have to win. Collect points. It doesn't matter who you're up against. There are no specific numbers that can guarantee you passage in the group stage; with two draws and four wins, you might qualify. You have to win. It's clear that the top eight teams on this list will be above 20 points. We’ve already seen how strong teams have started, and it invites all of us to aim for winning," the coach assessed.
"I watched Liverpool-Milan (on Tuesday night), and I liked it a lot. A very dynamic, entertaining game. We can see that it’s a more exciting Champions League for the fans, because all the teams need to win. Draws help, but only up to a certain point if you want to be in the top eight. We’ll have to compete because all the teams are tough, every opponent has grown a lot, and they present challenges," he elaborated.
He also spoke about Julián Álvarez, who will start on Thursday, according to the Argentine coach’s lineup tests. "A noble, hardworking guy, who surely has many important things to give us. He had a short vacation, arrived at Atlético, started playing with few training sessions, then went with Argentina... We have to help him. He has a group of teammates working very well, and we need him in his best form," he said.
"We’re always going to demand what he can give us. Hopefully, last Sunday’s goal is the first of many to come," Simeone continued. He also mentioned Alexander Sorloth, another new signing for Atlético's forward line, though the Norwegian striker, who started against Valencia, is likely to be on the bench for Thursday’s Champions League debut.
"He's an important player whether he plays 10, 20, 70, or 90 minutes. He's different from the other forwards we have, and we need him to play as he has been. He’s had goal-scoring chances in almost every game he’s played. We need him to be more clinical in finishing, and he knows it, because he has the ability, and we’ll demand that of him," he added.
Leipzig will be the opponent. "They’re a well-coached team, and they’ve played different styles of matches. Against Bayer Leverkusen, they sat back and counterattacked with very fast offensive players, and against Union Berlin, they attacked the entire game. They have an important attacking presence, with many quick players from midfield forward, and strong midfielders who press high," he analyzed.
