ATLÉTICO-BAYERN
Bernat: "Referees can be a bit too lenient with Atlético"
Bayern's Spanish full-back heated the build-up to Wednesday's game. Javi Martínez: "Atleti are the side we wanted least of all, they're the toughest side we could have faced".
Bayern Munich defender Juan Bernat decided to turn the pre-match atmosphere up a few notches in declarations to the press on Media Day, as he and the team's other three Spanish players assessed Wednesday's clash with Atlético de Madridat the Vicente Calderón.
"We all know what kind of team Atlético is - an aggressive side and one which referees allow them to get away with too much. We know that some of their players will be trying to get us out of the game. Atlético are very strong opponents and in good form. Nobody expected them to knock out Barcelona. It's going to be a tough challenge. But we want to go to Milan. That's our goal, and we're going to do everything to achieve it. Their great strength is their team spirit. They defend as a team and are very dangerous on the break. They're able to do great damage with their quick players".
Javi Martínez: "Atleti are the side we wanted least of all"
"Atlético are the team against which I least wanted to play. They're hard to beat, for me personally they're the toughest potential semi-final opponents. They're one of the best European teams in defence. All eleven men on the pitch play their part in it, from the strikers to Oblak between the posts. They’re dangerous on the break with quick players like Torres, Griezmann or Carrasco. They have players with good passing qualities like Gabi, Koke and Saul. Atlético play very aggressively. But you don't make the Champions League semi-finals only with aggressive play. It's a mixture of aggression, focus, good play and mental strength which makes them so strong. They're a coherent team. We have to give 100 percent, full throttle!".
Thiago:"Deportivamente, el Atlético está al nivel de Barça y Madrid"
"Financieramente el Atlético está en España en igualdad con el Barcelona y el Real Madrid aunque a nivel financiero no lo estén. Han desarrollado una idea y la llevan a cabo de manera consistente. Ahora luchan en Liga y en Champions por el título. Esperamos un partido difícil en el que tenemos que llegar a nuestros límites. Sabemos que será un partido muy difícil en el Vicente Calderón. Es uno de los mejores estadios de Europa en cuanto a su afición. Necesitamos concentrarnos en nuestro juego, no dejar que lo lleven a su terreno, para lograr un buen resultado para el partido de vueltaen nuestro campo".