Atletico lock horns with Bayern in key Champions League tie

Spanish giants Atletico Madrid will host Bayern Munich in Wednesday’s Champions League game at the Vicente Calderon.

Both teams are looking to a decent win to consolidate a final berth.

Atletico will rely on their enigmatic coach Diego Simeone’s for inspiration. The team have reached the last four for the second consecutive time in three years. For Bayern, it is fifth season in a row.

Atletico players are remaining hopeful of a win.

“I think the team thinks collectively, nobody thinks individually, so I think that’s the most positive thing that we have. We had a lot of bad moments in the season, also good moments, but I think we are stable,” Full back Filipe Luis said. Bayern will hope to make it a double sweet European victory over Atlético after going past them in 1974 in one of five European Cups.

“We expect a difficult game, we know that Bayern are a strong team with amazing players like (Thomas) Mueller or (Robert) Lewandowski, so I hope we play well in defence, stop them and score a goal. We know that it will be difficult, it will be a hard game, a tough game, but there are two games, so we will see what will happen,” Goalkeeper Jan Oblak said. Simeone’s side is boosted with the return of Fernando Torres who is done serving a one-match ban.

Wednesday’s match will pit the quick attacking style of the German side against Atletico’s discipline and intensity.