Atletico to pull out all the stops Mourinho brand not pleasing the fans
ATLETICO Madrid have built a reputation for gargantuan achievements under coach Diego Simeone and have not given up hope of a remarkable turnaround against Real Madrid in today’s Champions League semifinal second leg.
Last week’s chastening 3-0 defeat at the Bernabeu left Atletico needing a repeat of their sensational 4-0 win over their fierce local rivals in La Liga in 2015 to prevent a fourth straight European defeat by Real side who have not lost by more than one goal this campaign.
Real have also scored in each of their last 60 games in all competitions, increasing the likelihood of an away goal which would oblige Atletico to win by four goals to reach the final.
Real thrashed Granada 4-0 on Saturday despite Zinedine Zidane making nine changes from the team that beat Atletico so convincingly, while Simeone only rested one player in his side’s 1-0 victory over Eibar.
With Real feeling fresher and their confidence soaring as they remain on track to win the domestic title, all signs point to the 11-times European champions piling more misery on their neighbours who they beat in the 2014 and 2016 finals.
Simeone, however, offered a typically defiant message ahead of the second leg, alluding to his side’s remarkable title win in 2014 and their Champions League successes over the likes of Barcelona, Chelsea and Bayern Munich.
“On Wednesday we have an extremely difficult game which for some would be impossible, but not for us,” Simeone told reporters.
“After the last game I told the players it was very tough, that we’re facing the best team in the world that scores in every game but we can do it. I’m convinced we can, if I wasn’t I wouldn’t say so.”
Captain Gabi, meanwhile, is taking inspiration from Barcelona’s recordbreaking comeback from a four-goal deficit against Paris St Germain this season.
“Of course we can do it, look at Barcelona, and they had an even more difficult result,” he said.
“We’re convinced we can do it, we’re going to fight for it and if not we can at least go out with our heads held high.”
Atletico were boosted on Sunday by the return of defender Jose Gimenez to training although they are still without right-backs Juanfran and Sime Vrsaljko, who they missed badly in the first leg as they struggled to cause Real’s defence any problems.
Real have won only one of their last eight league games against Atletico but have found the magic formula against their rivals in the Champions League, which winger Lucas Vazquez said was due to their history in the competition.
“Real Madrid have a special connection with Europe and the fans feel the same way. Playing in a Champions League game for Madrid gives you goosebumps,” he said.
“Every game against Atletico is difficult because they are a great team but we know how to beat them.” — Reuters FOR all his mitigating talk of injuries and Europa League commitments, Manchester United’s Jose Mourinho is struggling to throw off his reputation as a riskaverse manager whose teams no longer match their main rivals.
A blizzard of statistics accompanies each Premier League games these days and Sunday’s 2-0 defeat at Arsenal threw up a particularly damning one – no Mourinho team has scored away against a big six team since January 2015 when Chelsea lost 5-3 to Spurs.
This season United have appeared particularly negative in drawing blanks at every major rival, with the same expected at Tottenham Hotspur this coming Sunday when Mourinho predicted it will be impossible to compete properly three days after the Europa League semifinal second leg against Celta Vigo.
Not everyone buys into his logic, however, with former Ireland striker Tony Cascarino among several accusing him of negativity.
“Jose Mourinho isn’t doing enough with this Manchester United team,” wrote Cascarino in the Times.
“We know he can be conservative away from home but he’s showing the opposition too much respect by sitting deep and not attacking away from Old Trafford. There’s almost a sense of fear about the players and that isn’t what United fans expect.
“At the minute there is little for their rivals to worry about.”
Anyone who witnessed the bank of United midfielders camping in front of the defence on Sunday would struggle to disagree.
Mourinho believes it will be “impossible” to finish in the top four but that might be down to his own negativity in a season when other teams, most notably Spurs, have reaped rewards for adventure.
Against Arsenal, Mourinho was probably alone in quibbling with the result.
“We didn’t deserve to lose,” he said.
“The game was under control. Our chances were the big chances of the match. I was happy with the players.”
So far this season, United have also scrambled goalless draws at Liverpool and Manchester City, appearing second-best in both games, and lost 4-0 at Chelsea. Defeat at Spurs could see them slip to sixth, having already drawn 14 games this season.
“I don’t ever see United playing the way certain supporters want [with wingers providing width],” former Arsenal and England defender Nigel Winterburn told Sky Sports.
“But Jose Mourinho will say ‘yes, but I will win you trophies’,” he added.
The manager’s credit column this season already contains the League Cup, with the Europa League possibly to come.
While most clubs would equate that with success, United are different. How they play matters and qualification for next season’s Champions League, which will be secured if they triumph in the May 24 Europa League final in Sweden, might further expose the deficiencies of the Mourinho brand.
If they cannot travel to their major English rivals and win, what chance do they have at the Nou Camp or the Bernabeu where Real Madrid and Barcelona usually score for fun?
So next season could Mourinho. — Reuters define