Simeone rejects the label of “favourites” ahead of Spurs test in Champions League | OneFootball

Diego Simeone rejected the label of “favourites” ahead of the Champions League round-of-16 tie against Tottenham Hotspur.

Atlético Madrid progressed to the latter stages of the competition as they secured victory over Belgian side Club Brugge, 7-4 on aggregate in the knockout play-off round.

Despite the La Liga side recently progressing to the Copa del Rey final, while Tottenham remain in a fight against relegation in the English top-flight, Simeone stated that the approach must remain the same regardless of who they face.

He said, “I believe that no team, when they step onto the field, remembers what position they are in the table or what moment they are in.

“The players want to play, they want to do well, they want to win, and I don’t know any footballer who is thinking about a free kick or play regarding what position in the table they are in. They want to win the match ahead of them, which is the same for both teams.”

When asked if he cared about his side being labelled ‘favourites’, the Argentine rejected the claim.

“I don’t know whether it’s related to them [Tottenham being favourites] finishing fourth [in the UCL group stages]. Actually, we are not the favourites. If you want to relate it to their current form, that’s how you want to write it or lead the people who listen to you.”

In meetings with English opposition, Atléti have only won one of their last 10 matches, which consists of two draws, seven losses and a win against Manchester United 1-0 in March 2022.

Simeone credited the Premier League with being a league that plays with a high tempo. When asked about its intensity, he commented, “Yes, it has a superior pace; I haven’t figured out why. Many say the referees let the game flow more. They don’t stop much, so it makes for much more back-and-forth.

“You can see it when you watch television; you see that there is a higher pace than we play [in Spain], than they play in Italy, than in France, than in Germany. I have no doubt that it is the championship with the highest pace of play.”

Already suffering defeats to English sides Liverpool and Arsenal in the group stages this season, Simeone remains grounded, with an opportunity to strike Spurs in the first leg at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano on Tuesday.