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Fernando Torres: Atletico Madrid know ‘we are nothing unless we work as a team’
Striker Fernando Torres said Atletico Madrid are ready for “a battle" atBayern Munich on Tuesday night in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final to keep their Milan dream alive.
Diego Simeone’s Atletico arrived at Munich holding a 1-0 lead from the first leg thanks to Saul Niguez’s solo winner in last Wednesday’s 1-0 victory at Madrid.
Atletico are bidding to reach the Champions League final on May 28 at Milan having lost 4-1 after extra-time in the 2014 final to neighbours Real Madrid, whom they would meet again in the final if Real advance pastManchester City in the other semi-final.
Torres said they will do everything to ensure Bayern coach Pep Guardiola signs off his third and final year at Munich with a third defeat to Spanish opposition in the European semi-finals.
"It’ll be a another battle against Bayern tomorrow," Torres said.
• Read more: Ian Hawkey – Bayern Munich, Pep Guardiola will need Thomas Muller from the start against Atletico
The Spain international, 32, is enjoying a new lease of life at Atletico having played in 10 of their European games this season and said the secret to their success is simply hard work.
“The most important thing is that we know who we are and that we are nothing unless we work as a team," he said.
“We’ve conceded one of the fewest amount of goals in Europe this season and we score in nearly every game, so if you put the two together, it’s a good combination.
“I enjoy every day and every game and when I see young players who play at the highest level, it’s wonderful and you have to learn from their attitude.
“I am thankful to be back here with Atletico, but tomorrow, we are going to play a very important game which we want to win."
• Andy Mitten on Saul Niguez: ‘In a brilliant moment’ he shows he’s ready to be big time
With centre-back Diego Godin, the cornerstone of the Atletico defence, back from a hamstring injury, Simeone refused to be drawn as to whether he would start the Uruguay international.
“We are lucky in that we have four good defenders available to us," the Atletico coach said, as he will have to choose between Godin, Lucas Hernandez, Stefan Savic and Jose Gimenez also bidding for a starting berth. “In the first leg we played in a way that feels good for us.
“The work we have done these past four-and-a-half-years is slowly paying off.
“We have some new players and it is really great to work with them.
“I am nervous before every game.
“We have to see what line-up Bayern use tomorrow, but we want to win tomorrow, play our football and to be successful."
Pep Guardiola knows he faces ‘final bullet’ in quest to win Uefa Champions League at Bayern Munich
May 2, 2016 Updated: May 2, 2016 09:13 AM
BERLIN // Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola knows he needs to prove his critics wrong by overturning a 1-0 first-leg deficit against Atletico Madrid in Tuesday’s crunch home Uefa Champions League semi-final.
Guardiola and Bayern are bidding to avoid losing a semi-final to a Spanish side for the third year running having lost the first-leg last Wednesday at Atletico after Saul Niguez’s early solo strike.
Having won 14 titles in four years at Barcelona and six titles so far in three years with Bayern, Guardiola hopes to sign off in charge of Munich by lifting the Champions League trophy at the final on May 28 in Milan.
See more:
• Steve Luckings: Atletico Madrid v Bayern Munich Champions League match preview
• Jonathan Raymond: Five reasons why Bayern Munich will win the Uefa Champions League
Bayern have exited the Champions League semi-finals for the last two years running with defeats to Real Madrid in 2014, then to Barcelona last year.
Another exit at the hands of Spanish opposition will not go down well in Bavaria, especially in the wake of Guardiola’s decision to start the first leg in Madrid with Germany star Thomas Muller, Bayern’s top scorer in Europe this season, on the bench.
The decision drew plenty of criticism from the German media and, by his own admission, the Munich leg is Guardiola’s “final bullet" in the battle to prove any critics wrong before he leaves to manage Manchester City next season.
“I have read in a German newspaper that my work in Munich will only be valued, and the job considered done, if I win the Champions League. That’s how it’ll be seen," Guardiola told reporters after Bayern saw off Benfica in the quarter-finals.
Bayern have been unstoppable at home in Europe this season, winning all five games at the Allianz Arena, but needed extra time to come back from 2-0 down to beat Juventus 4-2 at home in the second leg of the last 16.
They have won all 11 home games in Europe since being hammered 4-0 in the Munich leg by Real Madrid in the 2014 semi-finals, having lost 1-0 in Spain.
But, as they demonstrated in Saturday’s 1-1 Bundesliga draw at home to Borussia Monchengladbach, they are not currently playing well, as they typically sat back after taking an early lead through Muller’s header.
The result denied Bayern the victory which would have confirmed them as Bundesliga champions, now they have to wait until Saturday’s away game at Ingolstadt when they could become the first club to win four straight German league titles.
The good news from the Gladbach draw is that Germany defender Jerome Boateng is fit again after 99 days out with a groin injury having played the first 68 minutes in Munich.
“It was important to get a few minutes. I hope with the emotions of the game I’ll have the strength to play for the 90 minutes [against Atletico]. The tempo will be very different," Boateng said.
“Our chances are good. We’re playing at home, the pitch will be good and we want to put pressure on from the start."
In turn, Diego Simeone’s Atletico were boosted by the news Uruguay defender Diego Godin and Belgium winger Yannick Carrasco took part in training on Sunday after injury.
Godin has missed the last two weeks with a hamstring injury and is set to return as the cornerstone of Atletico’s defence in their bid to repeat their run to the 2014 final, there they lost 4-1 to Real Madrid after extra time.
“It is the best thing to have great games and the tiredness matters little," said Atletico’s Antoine Griezmann, the goalscorer in their 1-0 Spanish league win over Rayo Vallecano on Saturday, when Simeone made seven changes.
“We are very enthusiastic. Every player dreams of playing in a Champions League semi-final and we will give everything."
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