‘Cholo untouchable, Grizi Derbi star’

Atletico Madrid’s President insists Diego Simeone is ‘untouchable’ as Coach and that Antoine Griezmann will put ‘fear’ in Real Madrid next weekend.

In a wide-ranging interview with Marca on Saturday, Cerezo also felt there was not a better stadium in Europe than Atleti’s Wanda Metropolitano, while the Champions League “will come when we least expect it.”

“Simeone? I want to say this loudly,” he told the newspaper.

“At Atletico Madrid, for the players, coaches and fans, he’s untouchable. We don’t even allow ourselves to have any doubts about Cholo Simeone.

“The transformation of our badge is one thing and the move [to the Metropolitano] is another.

“We spent 50 years at the same place, but we also spent several years at other places.

“We have a magnificent stadium at a magnificent location, and the players are delighted and proud to be here. I don’t know a better stadium in Europe.

“Griezmann? He’s not had much luck so far this season. He was fantastic towards the end of the last one and is still considered one of the best three players in the world.

“To his advantage, he’s younger and he has a better future than the other two [Messi and Ronaldo].

“Everyone has their moments. He may not be having his best one right now, but I’m convinced that it won’t take long for him to go back to being the Griezmann that we all like.

“After everything he’s shown, there’s no need to have any doubts or suspicions about him if he has five not-so-good games.

“He’ll be the Griezmann we all know against Real Madrid: feared by all defences and loved by all ‘atleticos’.

“On a club level, with a stadium like ours, we’ve made our dreams come true. On a sporting level, we’ve won trophies and we have a close-knit squad.

“Barring any upsets, what we’re aspiring for now is to win an important trophy in Europe like the Champions League.

“We’ve been in two Finals and couldn’t win them, but our time will come when we will. I’m convinced of that.

“It won’t be easy, but if there’s a team that think about miracles, it’s Atletico Madrid.

“It’ll come when we least expect it, and if we don’t have anything, maybe we have everything.

“Our objective is to win our next two games and for Chelsea or Roma to trip up against Qarabag.”

Tags Antoine Griezmann Derbi Diego Simeone Enrique Cerezo Madrid derby
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