Bayer Leverkusen vs Atletico Madrid - Simeone urges Atletico to match Leverkusen's intensity

Posted Tuesday, February 21, 2017 by PA

Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone has urged his players to match the "intensity" of Bayer Leverkusen in their Champions League last-16 clash on Tuesday.

Simeone's side head to the BayArena for the first leg in high spirits having not tasted defeat in LaLiga since the turn of the year.

However, despite an eight-game unbeaten run in the league, Los Rojiblancos are fourth - seven points adrift of leaders Real Madrid - and were knocked out of the Copa del Rey earlier this month by Barcelona.

Atletico's hopes of silverware this term realistically lie in Europe but Simeone has warned his troops not to be complacent in Germany.

Leverkusen have never won a last-16 knockout game in the competition and come into the tie placed a modest eighth in the Bundesliga.

Yet Roger Schmidt's outfit have hit form at the right moment, registering back-to-back wins for the first time since November.

"We are going to find a team that displays everything their coach asks for: heart, enthusiasm and a lot of intensity," Simeone told Atletico's official website.

"Surely it is the most intense rivals we have faced in the Champions League. Talent is important, but the heart has much more (of a) place in football."

Simeone has some big decisions to make with centre-back Diego Godin, right-back Juanfran and midfielder Tiago all set to miss out.

Goalkeeper Jan Oblak, sidelined since December with a shoulder injury, has been recalled to the squad though after returning to training last Wednesday.

Kevin Gameiro could join Antoine Griezmann up front, having netted a hat-trick off the bench in the 4-1 win over Sporting Gijon on Saturday.

Simeone, who guided Atletico to the Champions League final in 2014 and 2016, added: "I think the team has grown at the beginning of 2017, compared to the end of 2016.

"I think we still have a lot of room for improvement and hopefully we can understand it, because there will be a leap in quality."

Javier Hernandez has been key to Leverkusen's upturn in fortunes - netting five times in his last three matches, including braces against Eintracht Frankfurt and Augsburg.

As a former Real Madrid player he is no stranger to the rivalry with Atletico and scored the goal which settled the 2015 quarter-final between the city rivals.

"Chicharito (Hernandez) is in sensational form," acknowledged manager Schmidt.

"He's really hit the ground running after the winter break. He's working very hard for the team and is doing a great job of sticking away the chances that come his way."

Schmidt is already without the injured Jonathan Tah and the suspended Hakan Calhanoglu and has doubts over Lars Bender's fitness.