Madrid: Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone expects his side will have to suffer when they travel to face Borussia Dortmund in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final next week after picking up a 2-1 win at home on Wednesday.
Atletico, who are looking to secure a first Champions League semi-final spot in seven years, controlled the first half at the Metropolitano stadium and led 2-0 through Rodrigo De Paul and Samuel Lino.
But they had to soak up heavy pressure late on from Dortmund, who got a goal back through Sebastien Haller and then twice hit the woodwork.
Need to take advantage of spaces
“(We played) with a good pressure, we stole the ball, we forced the opposing team almost in the first half not to have goal situations in the game,” Simeone told reporters.
“Now we’ll go to their stadium knowing that we’re going to find a strong team, a team with a lot of people who are going to take it to us, to attack. We will have to suffer and take advantage of the spaces.
“Seeing these first elimination ties, in the four (quarter-final) matches, it’s not easy to win, so we’re happy to have won.”
Playing through a niggle
Antoine Griezmann echoed the same sentiments to that of the coach, but was confident of the team’s quality that will take them past the quarter-final stage.
“In the second half they had the ball and pegged us back, we suffered quite a lot,” Griezmann told Movistar.
“We will have to suffer there — we’ve got to go for the game and win it, we’ve got the quality to get to the semi-finals and beyond.”
Griezmann spoke to media with an ice pack strapped to his ankle but said he thought he would be fine after some treatment and rest, after coach Simeone said he had been playing through a niggle.
Atletico fans' support
“We’ve got the best physios in Europe to recover well, I’m doing very well, trying to help the team,” he said.
Griezmann said he was expecting strong support from Atletico fans for the return in Dortmund next Tuesday.
“Atletico supporters travel, they prefer to travel for the team than to buy things they need for their homes, I’m so proud to be at this club,” he added.
Very important win
“Maybe it didn’t look great (in the end) but it’s a win in the quarter-finals and it’s very important to win.”
Simeone, who recorded his 50th win in the Champions League as a coach, agreed with Griezmann about the second leg.
“I view (the second leg) as very tough, difficult, it’s huge,” said the Argentine.
“We have to be prepared for what awaits us.”
