Julian Nagelsmann spoke to the media in the preview of the quarterfinal before the Athletic of Madrid. The German RB Leipzig coach left some clues about the 'headdresses' Marcel Halstenberg and Patrik Schick: “Both have exercised and we will see if they are for 90 minutes”.
Athletic: “We have to be brave against Atlético and concentrate. In the end, it is not a question of using tactics and speculating because there is only one match between the two teams due to this new tournament modality. Atlético has no experience in this type of tournament either. format. Of course, the Atlético players and especially the coach have more experience than we do in the Champions League but that shouldn't matter much tomorrow. “
Changes after the March break: “Atlético will certainly not change their fundamentals much. Simeone has a clear philosophy and a clearly defined style of play. He will not change them. Atlético is a good team that plays great football and at great speed. The game will be a great challenge for us. for which we are well prepared. I am sure we will play a good game. “
Halstenberg and Schick physical state: “Both have been at a good level in a test eleven against eleven. If they play from the beginning, we have to see if they can do it for the full 90 minutes.”
Tactical drawing: “If we go out with two forwards, you always have two reference players. Both in the air and touch games. This could be an important piece of information given the strong defense of Atlético. With a system like this, you can hit many centers, but also suffer a lot in the area. A system without a reference striker allows you to combine the game with many technically very good players. You can play faster and go much deeper. So far, I have not made a decision. I will ponder my decisions and decide the final formation “.
Gulacsi: “We are confident in our way of playing”
Quarter finals: “Tomorrow's game is a special game for everyone. We have many players in the squad who have been at the club for four or five years. They have been with us for a long time to play this game. We are very confident in our way of playing. I hope that we can show it that way tomorrow too. “
Squad quality: “We have enormous quality in the squad. With the departure of Timo Werner, many players now have the opportunity to present themselves even better. So I am sure that we will continue to be very dangerous in the future.”