Simeone: Atlético must show grit for Barcelona clash | OneFootball

This Monday, Diego Simeone, Atlético de Madrid's coach, spoke to the press ahead of the return leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal. The decider against Barcelona takes place this Tuesday at the Camp Nou, starting at 5 p.m. (Brasília time).

Simeone revealed how the club is preparing to maintain the advantage built in the first match. The first leg of the semi ended 4-0 for the Madrid club.

“We are thinking about the match ahead of us, against a very good, offensive, and open opponent, with great individual players and a collective game that makes them one of the most competitive teams in LaLiga and in Europe,” he said.

Strong season for Atlético

Atlético occupies third place in the Spanish Championship, secured qualification for the Champions League round of 16, and is very close to the Copa final. The Argentine coach highlighted the importance of reaching the decisive stages of the season.

“In the summer, you always think: ‘I hope we can compete for everything.’ Now, we are fantastic where we are, fighting for what we want,” he revealed.

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Simeone’s view on being a coach

When asked if the competitive feeling from his playing days still arises in decisive matches, the 55-year-old coach stated that today he sees himself only as a coach, focused on conveying the greatness of the moment to his players.

“No. I gave everything I could as a player and I have nothing more to offer in that role. Now, it’s up to me to show the boys the importance of these matches. They need to be played with determination,” he said.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.