Simeone backs Atletico to hurt ‘extraordinary’ Liverpool

Diego Simeone insists Atletico Madrid can defy a mounting injury crisis to shock “extraordinary” Liverpool in their Champions League opener on Wednesday.

Atletico boss Simeone is without five key players for the trip to Anfield, including former Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez.

The absence of Alvarez, who is sidelined with a knee injury, will be especially damaging to the Spanish club’s bid to start their Champions League campaign in style.

But Simeone, who has won once and lost once at Anfield during his Atletico reign, is convinced they can still upset the odds against the Premier League champions.

“We need to look on the positive side. We play against an extraordinary team, in a magnificent stadium and a coach who took the team to the top level,” he told reporters on Tuesday.

“They competed very well in the Champions League and won the Premier League and we have a tough opponent to face.

“We will face a tough opponent but we have the intention of bringing the game to where we want it to go. I am looking at getting better, playing a fantastic opponent in a stadium I love.

“We will try to hurt them in the game tomorrow whenever we can.”

Liverpool sit top of the Premier League after winning their first four matches, while in contrast Atletico have taken only five points from four La Liga games.

Simeone is a big fan of Arne Slot’s side and their captain Virgil van Dijk.

“They are direct, they have very quick transitions, they interpret the game in a very simple way to get players into the box, they use their wide players and they have a wonderful centre-back who can knock the ball around,” Simeone said.

“This simplicity of the game is something that maybe some people don’t see, how hard they work, how good their footballers are and their manager did wonderful, extraordinary things last season.”

In 2020, Atletico fought back to beat Liverpool 4-2 on aggregate in the Champions League last 16.

Simeone’s most memorable moment from the 3-2 second leg win at Anfield came off the pitch.

“I remember Diego Costa here in the second half, he was extremely angry as I’d put Marcos Llorente up front (in his place),” Simeone said.

“He came up to me and he said, ‘You have the balls eh?’, and I said, ‘Yeah, maybe I do!’”