Atltico – Porto (X / 21.00)
The rojiblancos return to the Champions League without Savic, who has been suspended for four games for his red card against Chelsea. “We have a complete squad”, Gimnez relativizes the absence
The deluge gave Atltico a truce, which completed its last training session at the Wanda Metropolitano before the Champions League debut against Porto. In theory, the rival with less name the other two threats of the group: Liverpool and AC Milan. However, last season they signed one of the bombings of the competition by pushing Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus out of the way, after an intense extension, despite playing at a disadvantage for more than an hour. “From Sergio [Conceiao] I didn’t expect him to be a coach. He was my friend when we played for Lazio. He is a hard head and transmits a lot of energy, “says Diego Simeone, referring to his counterpart in the Portuguese team, from the pulpit of the rojiblanco enclosure, which this Wednesday is filled with life again in Europe. The last memory was that eighth game final, on February 18, 2020, weeks before the Covid explosion, in which Sal knocked Liverpool down in the first round.
Since then many things have happened. For example, that the Atlético has another League title and has left that transition behind. “I focus on the competition, which is very tough and any mistake pays. You have to adjust everything you can and then whatever comes later will come,” argued the Argentine technician about the role of champion of his country with him. That his team lands this course.
And it has happened, moreover, that Simeone, that the Attico, has one of the largest offensive arsenals in memory. That, with the signing at the last minute of Griezmann and the hiring of the Brazilian Cunha, the goal should not be a headache. “I was judged from the first day I arrived and I am going to be judged now. I want the club and the team to win. I have no commitment to anyone and I will do what I believe best,” replied Cholo, who claimed to continue deciding the line-ups as it has always done, despite the number of names it now handles. Reflecting until the morning of the duel. “It does not matter what template we have.”
One of those names is Griezmann, whose last adventure in the Champions League as rojiblanco was on that fateful night in Turn, where the Atltico was buried by Cristiano Ronaldo (3-0), after astonishing in the first leg (2-0). That picture led to Antoine’s subsequent farewell. “What we want from Griezmann is for him to be the footballer he always was. With goal and hierarchy. We will have to work on him and be prepared when he touches him,” stressed the Argentine, promoter of the return of the French to his discipline.
Savic’s absence
In front of Porto not be Stefan Savic, now the fourth captain of the team, who starts a harsh four-game penalty for that expulsion at Stamford Bridge. An absence that requires retouching the defensive line and allows Felipe to reconnect with some of his former teammates. “We need Stefan every game, but we have a very complete squad and I will do it in the best possible way so that it goes well,” he stated emphatically. Gimnez, substitute against Espanyol for his international match with Uruguay and fresh for the return to the Champions League.
The summer gave the Metropolitan a slip while Simeone plunged back into the Champions League. That thorn that does not finish removing, already way to fulfill a decade in the Atltico. Although this year he has more arguments than usual to shout loudly in Europe again.
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