Diego Simeone says Atletico will need to “give their all” to topple Sparta Prague and strengthen their chances of qualification in the Champions League.
The Atleti boss, who recently celebrated 700 games as manager with a 2-1 win over Alaves at the weekend, continues his bid to guide his club to European glory.
Two wins and two defeats from their opening four games have left Atletico 23rd in the Champions League table, with only the top 24 progressing.
🎙️ Simeone
❝Sparta Prague is a tough opponent, who are strong in the Champions League and have a high tempo at home❞. pic.twitter.com/f7v9w2vRjP
— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) November 25, 2024
“The Champions League requires you to give your all and forces you to win with this format,” Simeone told reporters.
“They are a tough, strong rival and at home they have an important rhythm. We need to control their intensity.”
Atleti have beaten Paris St Germain and RB Leipzig in this season’s competition, but lost consecutive games against Benfica and Lille.
Simeone mentioned the quality of Sparta, who have won just one match and sit 26th on four points in the newly-formed league phase of the competition.
“They are strong and they are with their people and you have to adapt to their intensity,” he added.
“They will push very hard from the beginning.”
Speaking about the difficulty of the new format, Simeone said: “I understand that with the results that are being given, it invites you to have a more point of attention, now it forces you more to win because we play all against each other, it is not being simple for anyone.”
