Our side are close to qualifying for the UEFA Europa League semifinal. This Thursday at 9:05 p.m. CET, we'll face Sporting CP in Lisbon. Diego Pablo Simeone and our captain Gabi spoke to the press about the upcoming quarter-final match.

"Sporting CP are an important team," Gabi said. "They had opportunities and chances to score in the Wanda Metropolitano. Tomorrow's match against them will be complicated."

Gabi knows Sporting CP will give it their all and despite not being able to count on some key players, our captain expects a challenging match.

"They're going to be very motivated and that will cancel out any absences they may have."

Our boss, Diego Pablo Simeone, agrees with Gabi and knows the match will be challenging.

"We're going to face a team that will give it their all and will count on the support of their fans," he said. "We'll have to seize control of the match."

Simeone greatly respects Sporting CP's coach Jorge Jesus and knows the Portuguese coach can cause problems for our side in tomorrow's match.

"[Jesus] is an important and intelligent coach. He's going to do everything he can to try and turn this tie around," Simeone said.

Our boss recognizes Sporting played well and created opportunities in the Wanda Metropolitano and expects the same in the José Alvalade.

"They're a very competitive team. They suffered an early goal in the Wanda Metropolitano and in the end of the match, they had chances to score," he continued. "It'll be a tough and intense match."