Paulo Assuncao sees Atletico Madrid as ‘slight favourites’ against Porto this week and has backed the team for a title push in Spain.
Atleti are currently flying high in La Liga with a maximum return from the first seven rounds and head out to Portugal for the second matchday in the Champions League group stage backed for a further three points from their former midfielder.
“You can see that Atletico are doing very well, perhaps they are slightly more the favourite than Porto, even as it is at O Dragao,” considered Assuncao, who has played for both Porto and Atleti, to AS today.
“It is a stadium that in the Champions League generates a very warm atmosphere, they squeeze and press the opponent.
“But this Atletico has demonstrated character. They have done so already at the Camp Nou and the Bernabeu.”
The 33-year-old was asked if he saw Diego Simeone’s side as capable of challenging Barcelona and Real Madrid through to the end of the Spanish League season.
“Why not? When I was there, no-one bet on us and we beat Inter, Chelsea, it has already been shown that this team is capable of anything.”
