Diego Simeone: Atletico Madrid now ‘on track’ after beating Borussia Dortmund

Diego Simeone feels Atletico Madrid are now ‘on track’ after beating Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Goals from Saul Niguez and Antoine Griezmann moved Atleti level on points with Dortmund in Group Aand on the verge of the knockout stages, just two weeks after they were hammered 4-0 by the Germans.

However, the victory was overshadowed by a potential injury to centre-back Josema Gimenez, with youth product Francesco Montero coming on for his senior debut in the second half.

“Antoine’s on an extraordinary run of form,” Simeone said after the game.

“He came into this season from a fantastic 2017-18. When he plays like this the team do very well, but everyone did very well.

“Kalinic, the midfield of Saul, Thomas, Rodrigo and Correa… Juanfran and Filipe Luis, who are 30 something, are still holding on.

“That makes us optimistic and realistic. We have to stay on this track, which is one of hard work. That way we won’t get confused.

“We must lock up at the back, attack well and be strong defensively. The doctors will inform us about Gimenez.

“Montero was happy. He’s a young lad who made his debut in the Champions League against a top team and did well.

“This should be a source of motivation for all the lads in our academy. It could happen to any of them at any moment: they may seem to be far away, but they’re not.”

Atletico Madrid 2-0 Borussia Dortmund

Saul 33, Griezmann 80

Atletico Madrid:Oblak; Juanfran, Gimenez (Montero 46), Lucas, Filipe; Correa (Vitolo 80), Thomas, Rodri, Saul; Kalinic (Gelson 62), Griezmann

Borussia Dortmund:Burki; Piszczek, Omer, Akanji, Achraf; Witsel, Delaney; Pulisic (Guerreiro 59), Reus, Sancho (Bruun Larsen 79); Alcacer (Gotze 75)

Referee:Orsato (ITA)

Tags Borussia Dortmund Diego Simeone
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