Atlético Madrid manager Diego Simeone will lead his team against Arsenal on Tuesday night, with a place in the Champions League final at stake.
Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone speaks ahead of Champions League semi-final match against Arsenal
Manager Diego Simeone has revealed Atletico Madrid have changed hotels and joked it was to save money.
When Arsenal beat Atlético Madrid in the league in October, Atlético Madrid were staying at the Marriott near Regent’s Park.
In Spain, Atlético coach Simeone is reported to have changed his hotel to another venue in nearby trendy Shoreditch because he is superstitious.
But when asked if there were superstitions and whether Atletico are in a better place now than they were last year, the usually very serious Atletico coach replied sarcastically:
“The results are better than in October, and the hotels were cheaper! That’s why we made the change,” said Simeone.
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Atlético went into the second leg on an even footing with Arsenal, but there were hints of their potential in the second half. So while the Spanish giants cannot be taken lightly as they aim to reach the finals, Simeone said he is relaxed and ready for his return match.
“As a coach, you have to think about what will happen, but it’s up to the players. We have to control our emotions and play as well as possible,” Simeone said.
“The game changes quickly from the kick-off. Over time, be patient. It’s not about being passive, it’s about staying calm and that’s what you need in this kind of match. Of course I’d like to see us repeat our performance in the second half of the first leg, but if it’s easy then that’s great.”
Atlético Madrid are almost evenly matched after a controversial 1-1 draw against Madrid last week.
“I know you are always looking for headlines and interesting words, but the fact is that we want to start the game now and get involved. If we play well, we will have a better chance of winning. We will try to play to our strengths and so will Arsenal.”
“We played the games we needed to get here at the right level of intensity and I hope we can do what we need to do as a team with our leaders.
“We’re confident in what we want from the game, but it’s not just about us. We’re confident in what we need to do. Whatever plan is chosen, we’ll follow through.”
“It’s clear what we need to do, just work hard. We want to show great performance, so we want to communicate that as clearly as possible.”
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Arsenal have progressed to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League and will host Atletico Madrid in the second leg on May 5th. Fans can watch the game for free with an Amazon Prime subscription or 30-day trial.
