Atletico Madrid Targets Champions League Final In Munich, According To Diego Simeone

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Diego Simeone has set a clear target for Atletico Madrid in this season's Champions League: reaching the final in Munich on May 31. Under his leadership, Atletico has reached the final twice but lost both times to Real Madrid in 2014 and 2016. Their best performance since then was reaching the semi-finals in the 2016-17 season, where they were again defeated by Real Madrid.

Currently, Atletico Madrid is positioned 11th in the Champions League standings with 12 points from six matches. They are just one point away from breaking into the top eight. Two wins in their remaining group stage games could secure them an automatic spot in the knockout rounds. However, they face Bayer Leverkusen next, following a recent defeat to Leganes in LaLiga that ended their record-breaking 15-game winning streak across all competitions.

Simeone emphasised the importance of their upcoming match against Leverkusen, stating, "We will compete with our goal in mind. The club has never won this Champions League, and our objective is to reach that final, which is so desired and cherished by us."

Bayer Leverkusen enters the match on a high note, having won their last 12 games across all competitions. They currently sit fourth in the Champions League standings after bouncing back from a heavy 4-0 loss to Liverpool with two consecutive victories. Simeone has faced Leverkusen more than any other team in the Champions League, with eight encounters resulting in three wins and three losses for Atletico.

This will be Simeone's first time facing Xabi Alonso as a manager. Alonso led Leverkusen to their first Bundesliga title last season without losing a single match. Simeone praised Alonso's work ahead of their meeting, saying, "Xabi is doing an excellent job, as he showed last season, and he is on track to repeat it."

Strategic Insights

Simeone acknowledged Alonso's deep understanding of football from his playing days as a midfielder under great coaches. He remarked on Alonso's ability to see the game clearly from the centre of the pitch. "He has a reference for how he saw football from the centre of the pitch," Simeone noted.

The Atletico manager plans to steer Tuesday's game towards areas where his team can exploit weaknesses and gain an advantage over Leverkusen. This strategic approach will be crucial as they aim for victory against a formidable opponent.