Atlético is depleted, but eager to take another blow at Anfield

Without Griezmann, Lemar, Llorente, Savic and Kondogbia, Atlético faces the fourth day of the Champions League this Wednesday, but is eager to take another blow at Anfield, as happened eight months ago, then in the round of 16, where the Madrid midfielder now injured he became a hero to dismiss Liverpool from the top competition. Now it is not a direct and vital tie, but it is “a decisive match”, as Diego Pablo Simeone acknowledges, who despite the significant casualties guarantees that his team “will compete” in the mythical Liverpool stadium, which does not know the defeat neither in the Champions League nor in the Premier League and he already took a small revenge two weeks ago at the Metropolitano (2-3).

In a clash that is marked by the dialectical confrontation and the tension between Simeone and Jürgen Klopp, who hates the rojiblancos’ style of play but already took a blow last season, Atlético need to stay in second place and for this they could being obliged to score at Anfield, already knowing the result of Milan-Porto. “I value the great coach who is Klopp, but I don’t usually comment on how opposing teams play, because I have codes and the coaches have to respect that situation,” the Argentine coach launched this Tuesday after criticizing the German after the match of the first lap.

For Atlético it will in any case be another challenge of height against Liverpool that went ahead 0-2 at Wanda but, after Griezmann’s double, did not miss the expulsion of the Frenchman or the penalty caused by Hermoso to attack, led by Mohamed Salah , the Metropolitan. Given that, with few exceptions, as happened on Sunday against Betis (3-0), Atlético behaves better away from home than in their field, despite the fact that Liverpool are undefeated this season and Anfield imposes respect, the rojiblancos They promise to play fearlessly on English ground, although they hope to exploit their counterattack, holding on to two great players such as Joao Félix and Rodrigo de Paul, “who are growing a lot”, as their coach emphasizes.

«We need that footballer who shows what he shows in the Argentine team. He has the same vision of the game as Verón, which few footballers have, ”Simeone pointed out this Monday in reference to De Paul. “He generates vertigo because of his head speed, he has room to improve, he wants to improve and that is what I like the most about him,” added the Atlético coach about the Copa América champion midfielder, at Anfield undisputed in the midfield together Koke and Correa, with Joao Félix a priori thrown to the left and Luis Suárez pointed.