Atletico Madrid captain Koke has claimed the club’s Champions League Round of 16 tie against Chelsea will be decided by the “small details” in the tie.
The Champions League draw for the Round of 16 saw Los Rojiblancos pitted against the Blues in a repeat of the 2014 semi-final between the two, in which Atleti progressed to reach their first ever final in the competition.
It also comes one year after Diego Simeone’s side eliminated Liverpool at this stage of the competition and they will have their eyes on taking the scalp of another English side, whom they also faced in the group stages of the competition three seasons ago.
🔴⚪️ @Koke6, capitán del @Atleti
🏆 “Con esta dinámica podemos hacer un buen papel en @ChampionsLeague”
🤔 “El @ChelseaFC es un gran equipo y se ha reforzado muy bien”
🆚 “Los pequeños detalles marcarán la eliminatoria como pasó contra el Liverpool”pic.twitter.com/LzJqvc8p28
— El Partidazo de COPE (@partidazocope) December 14, 2020
Koke said, in quotes carried by Marca: “These qualifying rounds are always the same; it will be decided by the small details. When you have the chances, you try to score them and defend well. Last year against Liverpool it was those details that decided the tie, hopefully it will be the same against Chelsea.
“The past does not count for much. Chelsea are a great team; they have strengthened very well and are playing very offensive football. We have to see how we prepare the games and progress through the tie.
“There is still a long way to go for the tie, but we are very excited, we are having a great season and if we continue with our dynamics, we can make a great role in the Champions League.”
Atleti were eliminated at the quarter-final stage of the competition last season against RB Leizpig and will be hopeful of going further in the Champions League this time round, while the Blues have not won the competition since 2012.
