Simeone: ‘Atleti must win’

Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone insists his side must take all three points when they face Qarabag in Wednesday’s Champions League clash.

It is a game Los Rojiblancos need to win to remain in touch in Group C, where they sit third behind Chelsea and Roma with just one point to show for their efforts.

Nonetheless, the Argentine is not expecting an easy ride in Azerbaijan against the supposedly weakest team in the group.

“No two games are the same and our opponents, even though they might seem weaker on paper, had a good first half against Chelsea and Roma struggled to overcome them,” he told a Press conference.

“Every team struggles playing them at their own ground. We want to make sure we are comfortable out there and play our own game, because from the midfield forward they have very good players: their centre-forwards, the right winger, Michel… they are good at keeping the ball.”

Simeone believes that despite the poor start to the group his team are still very much alive in every competition and will continued fighting on all fronts.

“Of the eight league games we’ve played so far, five were away from home and we are still unbeaten; we drew in Rome but deserved to win. We last to Chelsea but we are still alive in all the competitions we are in.

“Words mean nothing as what matters is what we do, and now what we say. The players are fine. We played a good game against Barcelona. The opportunity to criticise will always be there but we are the first to try and improve, because we want to keep growing as a team.

“You go through different situations in football all the time, in every game. You can’t avoid that because it’s a game, it’s football, and the strongest team doesn’t always look the most able. But both teams will be giving their best to get a result,” he concluded.

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