“We want to go through the phase and Liverpool is the rival to beat”

Captain Koke Resurrección spoke with Simeone before the game against Liverpool, where Atlético will try to maintain their strength at home against one of the fittest teams in Europe.

Klopp has criticized Atlético’s style and in the last match he was seen talking to him.

What we talk about Klopp and I keep it to myself, it’s something we talk about in the field and that’s it. Everyone has their own way of playing, giving press conferences and they are all respectable. We always go out to compete and win and we are not going to change, it is what has led us to success. All opinions are respectable.

Can it hurt them for so long without competing? Shouldn’t they have a representative to speak for the players to the agencies?

We will see if it affects us or not that some colleagues have not competed during these 15 days. Others of us have been playing with the national team, we players like to be having matches and it is a somewhat taboo subject that the players do not go out to talk about, but it would be good what you say to have a representation of our needs in these calendars.

To what extent is the game important?

All games are important to us. Playing against a team of the stature of Liverpool and at home with our people motivates us a lot. Before the pandemic we played against them with all our people and it is essential, we want to get the three points for the objective we have which is to pass the group stage and we want to try to do it as first, because we know that Liverpool is the rival to beat.

They criticize them, but is there a team that would interpose the style to win?

I do not know, that’s the truth. In the end, each one looks for the way they think they must play and compete to achieve victory. Regardless of whether you defend more or less or make more or less passes, the objective is to win. There are some who do it with better football and others in another way, but the ultimate goal is to win the games.

How do you see your Uruguayan colleagues?

I see all my amazing teammates, Uruguayans, Argentines, French … Today we did a great training with a lot of intensity and they are all at a high level. We leave feeling very good for tomorrow after training today.