The manager of Liverpool football club, Jurgen Klopp has said he is not a fan of the kind of football Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid play.
Jurgen Klopp who stated this ahead of the Atletico Madrid clash with Liverpool scheduled to take place in Wanda Metropolitano, Madrid at 20:00 today, October 19, said he respects Simeone’s personality but can’t be a fan of his style.
Over the years, Diego Simeone is known to be a very defensive-minded coach. The 51-year-old Argentine tactician has been using the technique since he became the coach of Atletico Madrid in 2011.
The technique has helped him to win two UEFA Europa League, two UEFA Super Cup, and two La Liga titles. He has also used the same style of football to lead Atletico Madrid to the final of the UEFA Champions League on two different occasions.
Last season, Diego Simeone met with Jurgen Klopp in the quarter-final stage of the UEFA Champions League. He used his defensive style of football to knock out Liverpool from the competition by beating the then Premier League reigning champions home and away.
In the post-match press conference of one of the games, Jurgen Klopp told the media that he does not know when Atletico Madrid would start to play “proper football”. The comment was seen as a disrespect to the personality of Simeone.
When Jurgen Klopp was reminded of the comment on Monday, October 18, ahead of his meeting with Simeone, the German tactician argued that he didn’t say it out of disrespect to the coach.
Klopp stressed that the Argentine coach has been very successful with the style which makes it perfect for Atletico Madrid.
“Diego Simeone is doing absolutely everything right,” Klopp said. “He is the current Spanish champion. Very successful at [Atletico]. He has a bunch of world-class players, keeps them on their toes, they fight with all they have for their lives.
“That says a lot about the quality of Diego so I couldn’t respect more what they do.
“Do I like it? Not too much but that is normal because I prefer a different kind of football. That’s me. Other coaches prefer different styles of football. Nobody has to like it, it just has to be successful and that is what Atletico is for sure.”
Atletico Madrid are a result machine according to Jurgen Klopp
Liverpool must draw or defeat Atletico Madrid today to cement their place at the top of UEFA Champions League group B.
As it stands, Liverpool are leading the table with 6 points in 2 games. While Atletico Madrid are sitting on the second spot with 4 points in 2 games.
Ahead of the away game, Klopp described Atletico Madrid as a result machine and animal that Liverpool need to be incredibly brave against if they don’t want to be eaten.
“They are still the resulting machine they were before,” Klopp said.
“I am a very positive person, but I am not that positive or naive that I think we have these games already in our pocket.
“They have changed players and system so we face a different animal, but not a weaker one.”
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was full of praise for opposite number Diego Simeone and the 'quality' job he has done at Atletico Madrid. pic.twitter.com/fyXQiDAX35
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 19, 2021
On the other hand, coach Simeone has refused to comment on Jurgen Klopp’s criticism of Atletico Madrid’s style of play. He said his attention is on Liverpool.
He however acknowledged the form of Liverpool’s forward, Mohamed Salah who he described as “extraordinary”.
The coach said: “All I care about really is Liverpool but Mohamed Salah is an extraordinary player, who has been playing at a fantastic level for the last few years with Liverpool and his national team.
“Liverpool are going through a fantastic spell of football, they seem to have a different rhythm, and it is a pleasure to see them play.
“They have no fear to leave spaces at the back. They press high, play a high line, have speed.
“(Virgil) Van Dijk has improved solidity in defense, which is important even for an attacking team like Liverpool, and he brings security they didn’t have last year.
“I don’t expect anything other than a team who will make things very difficult for us.
“We need to match their intensity and then look for our own chances. We will try to find ways to hurt them.
“The last time we faced Liverpool, we won the game at home before we even entered the stadium. I want that to be remembered.”
