Liverpool could face Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last 16.
Diego Simeone insists that Atletico Madrid are not satisfied with reaching the Champions League last 16 ahead of a potential clash against Liverpool.
The Spanish outfit have booked their spot in Friday’s draw for the knockout phase after earning a 7-4 aggregate victory over Club Brugge in the play-offs. A 4-1 win in the second leg at the Metropolitano Stadium means that Atletico will face either Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur in the next stage of Europe’s elite club competition.
The Reds faced Atletico in their opening game of the league phase, earning a 3-2 triumph. With Rojiblancos out of the La Liga title race, and facing Barcelona in the Copa del Rey semi-finals, the Champions League may be the only trophy that Simeone’s side can win this term.
But Simeone insists that Atletico are not yet thinking about Liverpool or Spurs. Via Marca, he said: “There's a huge amount of work behind these results, which are starting to be more positive than negative. Many players have come in over the last two seasons, and reinventing ourselves isn't easy.
“When you see the substitutes come on... I still get emotional. When I see that commitment, I feel a strong connection. I'm very proud of the guys. We came up against a team that plays well, that eliminated Atlanta last year... We were better in the second half."
"Without a doubt, it's extremely important for the club, both financially and globally, but we want more. Hopefully, we have the ability, the talent, and the energy to go further.
"We're not thinking about Liverpool or Tottenham. Getting back to the round of 16 is very important. Let's see if we can improve and advance. The lads have been playing a ton of games.”
Liverpool will face either Atletico or the winner of the tie between Galatasaray and Juventus. The former hold a 5-2 lead after their first-leg victory in Istanbul.
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