"Motivation comes when we put the shirt of Atletico on"
Diego Pablo Simeone spoke in the press room before the second leg of the Copa del Rey against Sant Andreu. The coach said it was a "great opportunity" that the players continue to generate competition within the squad.
After the 0-4 win in the first leg of the Copa del Rey, Simeone will rest most of those usual starts and will give the chance to those who have played fewer minutes "we have a nice possibility" of further growth. "It's definitely a nice option for a lot of guys who deserve minutes and we have not been able to because the team is responding in great shape. It is a great opportunity to show what they have and obviously the place to ask for more minutes. The best way to speak is in the field and tomorrow is a nice opportunity."
Atletico do not understand football without intensity or motivation. "Whoever we play, from the moment we put the shirt of Atletico on, motivation is born in to us. We have always shown and tomorrow hopefully it will be no exception." He added that these matches are important for players to "speak in the field". "Putting myself in the place of the guys who are going to play I see it as a great opportunity for them. I never like to give examples but, right now, Raul is a great example, playing Champions League and scoring goals, he scores goals and plays in the Cup and scores goals. It is an example for the rest in the changing room," he said.
The Argentine coach spoke about the Champions League against Milan as being "a very nice tie" in the knockout stages. "they’re a good side. I’s an important game than we play. A team full of big names who have won many Champions League, a wonderful stage to play in a very nice city. It will be a very good game where the possibilities I see 50 percent for both teams." Milan are one of the most successful teams in Europe, something that Simeone say earns "great respect". "I have great respect for Milan, I have great respect for the people who work there. For the coach, who is being kept in a difficult place, the squad that we will see if they get more powerful players in December to promote improve it. We'll see what they say on the field in a very nice game," he confessed.