Miranda spoke highly of Atletico Madrid's young players ahead of Sunday's trip to Villarreal in La Liga. "They're making us run further!"
The Brazilian defender is back in contention for Los Colchoneros after missing the past month with a hamstring injury, but he admits he has a fight on his hands to regain his place in the team in light of younger personnel starring in his absence.
"I'm back and have fully recovered. I resumed training with the squad on Thursday. Yes I'm able to play," he said at a promotional event on Thursday.
"Villarreal will be a very hard match. They play very good football with very quick players. It will be a great duel
"I think Atletico's youngsters will serve the club for a very long time.
"[Jose Maria] Gimenez, Lucas [Hernandez] … they are very young lads who have much time on their hands.
"Both players are very smart and learn a lot in training. I talk to them a lot and try to help them. I'm not retiring, but the young lads are pushing us every day.
"Thanks to the performances of Gimenez and Lucas, us veterans are being forced to run further!"
Miranda then looked ahead to the Champions League last 16 and reflected on the recent fan violence in Spain, which culminated in the expulsion of the Frente Atletico ultras group from the Vicente Calderon.
"The teams in the last 16 are Europe's best. They all have quality," he added.
"In Turin I saw someone wearing a Frente Atletico t-shirt, but you never know if they're really part of the Frente or just wearing the t-shirt.
"You can't penalise them for that, we must respect the opinions of everyone. On the pitch, I'm so focused that I don't listen to anyone else."
