Diego Simeone believes Tuesday’s trip to Astana is the game that will prove ‘decisive’ to Atletico Madrid’s Champions League campaign.
Atletico have made the journey to Kazakhstan and face sub-zero temperatures as well as their hosts, with the game being played at 15:00 UK time.
“We walked around a little, when we arrived. We haven’t really had the chance. People who have looked around like what they see,” AS reports Simeone replying when asked about the conditions.
“The artificial pitch? When you’re young children you play on the street, in the mud, on synthetic turf, you have to play football and I think it’s a circumstance like the wind, the sun, the cold, snow, you always have to play and we don’t look beyond that.
“I have no doubt that of our remaining three Champions League games, this is the decisive one. Why? Because all the teams who have been here have found it very difficult to win.
“We’re still working on the good things in San Sebastian, in Astana, in Valencia, in the first half [against Deportivo La Coruna]. Based on this block, I’ll decide the XI.”
