Simeone: 'Dortmund is the toughest draw for Atletico'

Spanish coach Diego Simeone of Atletico Madrid considers Dortmund to be the toughest opponent his team could face in the Champions League quarter-finals.

According to bookmaker bet365 , Man City is the strongest contender with odds of 15/8 to win the championship (bet 8, win 15). Following them are Arsenal (4/1), Real (6/1), Bayern (13/2), PSG (9/1), Barca (11/1), Atletico (16/1) and Dortmund (20/1).

But Simeone denied that Dortmund were the weakest team in the Champions League quarter-finals. "They are the toughest opponents," the Argentinian coach said on April 9th at the press conference before the first leg of the quarter-final. "Dortmund have quality, they haven't lost away from home in four months, they counter-attack brilliantly. They are very strong in both penalty areas and are the most aggressive team among the eight teams in the quarter-finals."

Coach Simeone at the press conference before the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Dortmund. Photo: AFP. — Coach Simeone at the press conference before the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Dortmund. Photo: *AFP.*

Axel Witsel, who played for Dortmund for four seasons before joining Atletico in 2022, shared the same view as his Argentinian coach. "Dortmund is a strong team, they press constantly, and they have very fast attacking players like Karim Adeyemi and Jadon Sancho," he said.

Atletico are currently fourth in La Liga, 17 points behind leaders Real Madrid, and have won only three of their last eight matches in all competitions. In the round of 16, Atletico were the underdogs but overcame Inter Milan with a 3-2 victory on penalties. When asked about their goal of reaching the semi-finals, Simeone simply wants Atletico to focus on each match and prove they deserve to be in the last eight of Europe.

With Memphis Depay sidelined by a muscle injury, Alvaro Morata is likely to partner Antoine Griezmann in attack. Simeone believes Morata has the experience to shine in high-stakes matches, while also confirming Griezmann has recovered from injury and is in top form. He also urged fans to fill the Metropolitano Stadium and create a breathtaking atmosphere for the first leg of the quarter-final. "We need them to motivate the whole team," he stated.

Meanwhile, Dortmund coach Edin Terzic praised Simeone as an icon who has inspired many with his achievements during his more than 12 years leading Atletico. Terzic also acknowledged that Dortmund would face a difficult match as Atletico always perform well at home.

"Atletico have improved a lot in attack and that's a big challenge," the German coach said. "We know we can't afford to make mistakes. Atletico's success stems from a new art of defending. It's difficult for any team in the world to cope with them."

Dortmund lost 0-1 to Stuttgart in the Bundesliga last weekend, but had won all five of their previous matches in all competitions. "We are pleased with the intensity we have achieved in recent games, and the whole team must maintain it," Terzic added.

Hong Duy

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