Tiago: “The team is in top shape, we’re confident”
Tiago Cardoso Mendes addressed the media prior to the Champions first leg match against Barcelona. Trusting the team’s good work, the midfield expects a very “complicated” match against a rival “used to this kind of fixtures.
Tiago addressed the media before the last training session in preparation of the Champions first leg quarter-final match against Barcelona. The Portuguese midfield started by saying “I believe we have our own game identity. It’s easy to identify with us because of the difficult time our society is living with the crisis. We try to fight, both in the Champions and the League, against big clubs with big budgets, and there could lie the similarity of our team with”, he explained.
Valdés’ injury will be appreciable for Barcelona, although they have a “talented” replacement such as Pinto. “Valdés’ injury weighs on us. We prepare a match against a Barcelona full of great players. Valdés will not be there, but Pinto will be, and he’s talented. We’re not thinking about that, we’re only thinking in preparing our match, to play it in the best possible way with the weapons we have”, he assured.
We’re only thinking in preparing our match, to play it in the best possible way with the weapons we have
Atlético’s Champions’ season is remarkable. Playing the quarter-finals is “tricky”, as the Portuguese. “I’ve played football for several years and as you can see, it’s not easy to play the Champions quarter-final. It’s hard, I’ve played for big clubs and have only reached this round twice. It speaks volumes that Barcelona has played 6 semi-finals in the last 6 years, winning 2 finals”. Even though this will be the first time many of the Atlético members play this qualifying round, Tiago was confident in the group. “I feel comfortable, but I believe we have a team full of players who know what it is to play a final, such as those we played these past years, and that’s why we are confident. The team is in top shape”, he acknowledged.
Regarding Diego Costa, the second Atlético captain said, “Diego is tremendously hopeful in each game. It’s one of his secrets. In each play, in each ball he transmits excitement and this won’t change. It’s just another match, although playing the Champions makes it more significant, and he’s very motivated with this match, as we all are”.
“Scoring out of home gives you a plus in the Champions. It gives you more security for the second leg. Everything very much depends on the match. The last we’ve had against them have been with them in possession trying to attack in many ways, whilst we’ve always kept very well organised. It’ll be a hard and difficult game”, he admitted before ending his appearance.
