Atletico Madrid vs Leverkusen: Simeone’s boys target UEFA Champions League final ahead of group-stage clash
Atletico Madrid vs Leverkusen: Simeone’s boys target UEFA Champions League final ahead of group-stage clash
Last season’s quarterfinalists Atletico Madrid is not just vying for a deep run in the Champions League but hoping to keep its good form alive and win the competition, manager Diego Simeone said ahead of Tuesday’s clash with Bayer Leverkusen.
Atletico Madrid is the only team to reach three Champions League finals without winning the trophy, including two defeats to rival Real Madrid under Simeone in 2014 and 2016.
The hosts are set to welcome high-flying Bayer Leverkusen, which is on an 11-match winning streak across all competitions, while Atletico’s own run of 15 consecutive victories was ended by a 1-0 La Liga defeat by Leganes on Saturday.
Two Champions League matches remain in the new league phase of eight, with the top eight teams qualifying automatically for the last 16.
Asked how important the game was in their push for the top eight, Simeone said, “We will compete with our goal in mind. The club has never won this Champions League, and our objective is to reach that final, which is so desired and cherished by us.”
Teams finishing ninth to 24th will compete in two-legged knockout playoffs to secure their spot in the last 16.
Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen is fourth in the Champions League standings with 13 points from six games, and Atletico sits 11th, a point behind Leverkusen.
Leverkusen won its first Bundesliga title last season, undefeated, and Simeone heaped praise on Alonso, who was also formerly a midfielder for rivals Real Madrid.
“Xabi is doing an excellent job, as he showed last season and he is on track to repeat it. He has a reference for how he saw football from the centre of the pitch, which is where it is best seen,” he added.
“He had great coaches (as a player). We will have to take the game in a direction where we think we can do the damage on Tuesday.”
After hosting Leverkusen, Atletico is set to travel to Austria on January 29 to face Salzburg.
