Diego Simeone opens up on 'pressure' and aim to 'hurt' Arsenal in Champions League
Diego Simeone has spoken out on the 'pressure' he and his Atletico Madrid side feel heading into their UEFA Champions League semi-final opener against Mikel Arteta's Arsenal
Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid will host Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday -Credit:Maciej Rogowski/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Diego Simeone has admitted he is "dreaming" of finally tasting glory on his "extraordinary" UEFA Champions League journey. Atletico Madrid manager Simeone, who will mark his 56th birthday on the eve of Wednesday's game against Arsenal, has now reached four semi-finals yet has never lifted the trophy. Despite this, Simeone remains convinced his underdogs can go all the way this time and cautioned that his side can "hurt" Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta's team.
Simeone said, via The Mirror : "It's extraordinary that Atletico Madrid is in a Champions League semi-final again after nine years and after doing it for the fourth time in 14 years, if I'm not mistaken. FIFA World Cup host county planning free transportation for select fans Ticketmaster forced to place limit on World Cup ticket resale prices at key stadium Mikel Arteta's Arsenal heads to Spain off the back of a win against Newcastle United -Credit:Richard Heathcote/Getty Images "That really is wonderful, it's incredible, incredible. And I think that faith, that excitement, that contagiousness that our people transmit to us will do us a lot of good.
"We are going to face a tough game with a very good opponent and with a set-piece strategy, as you well said at the beginning, that is very well worked, and well, here we go with all the excitement. "I always say that dreaming is good, but reality is what happens on earth. And what happens on earth is what we do and what God wants.
So that's how we behave. "Honestly, pressure no, there's no pressure. There's responsibility.