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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2015 SPORTS How Simeone painted Madrid red MADRID: In the dying moments of tlemen, this is something much more Diego Simeone’s second Madrid derby in important that these boys have shown charge of Atletico, a banner was lowered you, that if you believe and you work, behind the goal his side was defending you can achieve.” to display a stinging message: “Wanted: The remnants of Atletico’s historic A dignified rival for a decent derby”. ability to come up on the wrong side of The display by the Real Madrid ultras destiny were still to dog them, though, in had more truth to it than the usual the Champions League final in Lisbon chutzpah exchanged between rival fans. against Real last May. It had been 13 years since Atletico had One minute away from winning a beaten Real, a run that would stretch into first-ever European Cup, just as they had a 14th year and 25th match when Real’s been 40 years ago in their only previous reserves won out once more at the final against Bayern Munich, they con- Vicente Calderon five months later. ceded with barely a minute remaining. Suddenly, though, on an unseason- Real went on to romp to a 10th ably cold Madrid May evening, the tide European Cup 4-1 in extra-time with began to turn in the Spanish capital. Simeone being sent off for storming on Having waited for so long for a derby to the field to confront Raphael Varane as win, Atletico did so in style by beating tempers flared. Real in their own backyard at the Yet, it is a testament to the change in Santiago Bernabeu to win the Copa del mental strength around the club that Rey in what proved to be Jose rather than be beaten down by that Mourinho’s last competitive game in experience, Atletico have rolled off a sev- charge. en-game unbeaten streak in the derby In 14 derbies in less than two years themselves this season, which leaves since, Atletico have won six to Real’s four Wednesday’s Champions League quar- and added the Spanish Supercup and an ter-final, second leg, tantalisingly poised unthinkable La Liga title to their trophy after a 0-0 first-leg stalemate last week. haul in just over three years since “Atletico is a very different club now,” Simeone took over. Moreover, three of said Fernando Torres on his return to his the five trophies won under the boyhood club in January. ‘El Nino’ had Argentine have been garnered by over- never scored at the Bernabeu in six years coming the vast gap in financial wealth in his first stint at Atletico; he did so between Atletico and their neighbours, twice in his first visit in his second spell as well as Spanish football’s other power- as Atletico dumped Real out of the Copa SPAIN: Atletico’s Arda Turan (centre) and teammates exercise during a training session in Majadahonda. Atletico Madrid will play Real Madrid house, Barcelona. Simeone has revolu- del Rey just days after his return. today in a Champions League quarter-final second leg soccer match. — AP tionised a club that once used to revel in However, as much as Simeone and his their label as “El Pupas” - the jinxed ones. players publicly try to deny it, there remains unfinished business from Injury-hit Real tasked with ADORING MASSES Lisbon. Simeone himself acknowledged Even the club’s own marketing cam- ahead of last week’s first leg that victo- paign used to be based around a con- ries in the league, Cup or Supercup can- breaking down Atletico wall fused young boy asking his father “why not be compared to Europe’s premier do we support Atleti?” club competition. MADRID: Real Madrid have the unenviable task told Madrid’s website. “I want to continue like quarter-final in 18 years, but midfielder Raul Now they have the charismatic leader Now, presented with the chance to of beating city rivals Atletico Madrid at the this, using my characteristics to help the team Garcia refuted the suggestion they have less to that means their faith is no longer blind. land a knock-out blow to an injury-hit eighth attempt this season if they are to achieve important objectives. lose than the holders. On Atletico’s league title parade last sea- Real in the competition they cherish the progress to a fifth consecutive Champions “We are all dreaming of getting through this “I don’t think we have less pressure. It is the son, Simeone addressed the adoring most, another date with destiny awaits League semi-final. round and if I can score as well then it would be quarter-finals of the Champions League and the masses with the symbolic message: “This Torres and the rest of Simeone’s men at The European champions have failed to over- great. The most important thing is to win and two teams want to go through.”Time will give is not just a league title, ladies and gen- the Bernabeu today. — AFP come Atletico in seven games since beating Los get through this very difficult game, but we are more value to what we are achieving. Now it Rojiblancos in last season’s Champions League in our own stadium with our own fans. I think it seems normal to be in the quarter-finals, to get final, including last week’s 0-0 draw in the first- could be a great game.” to the semis would be very important.” leg at the Vicente Calderon, and have also been However, Real will be faced with arguably the Garcia maintained the Atletico party line of struck by a series of injuries and suspensions to best defence in Europe on Wednesday. Atletico recent weeks in insisting there is no thirst for key players. have conceded just once in their last eight revenge after losing out in heartbreaking cir- Luka Modric and Gareth Bale will miss out Champions League games and have shutout cumstances to Real in the Lisbon final last May. after limping off with knee and calf injuries their local rivals in four of their previous seven However, he also dismissed the idea that respectively in the 3-1 win over Malaga at the meetings this season. Atletico now have a mental hold over Carlo weekend, whilst Marcelo is banned and Karim “Atletico are an intense team that are very Ancelotti’s men having beaten them over two Benzema faces a race against time to be fit due good at the back,” added Rodriguez. “There is legs in the Spanish Supercup and the Copa del to a knee problem. Given those absences, the always pressure. We have to manage it and we Rey already this season. return to fitness and form of James Rodriguez is are going to do everything we can to win an “Lisbon is forgotten. We don’t live in the past. a huge boost for Los Blancos. The Colombian 11th European Cup.” By contrast, Atletico have a We would have loved to have won, but it doesn’t World Cup star has scored twice in four games clean bill of health with striker Mario Mandzukic change anything. If we had won, we would still after a two-month injury layoff due to a broken expected to shake off an ongoing ankle problem want to go through now. “We have to forget the foot to take his tally to an impressive 14 in his to start alongside the in-form Antoine previous games this year too. They only serve to first season at the Bernabeu. Griezmann up front. know that we are doing the right things. We “Before I was out I was scoring goals, playing Diego Simeone’s men remain the under- always say the games that have already been at a good level and now I think it is the same,” he dogs in just their second Champions League played don’t matter.” — AFP Juve have semis in sight against goal-shy Monaco MONACO: Juventus head to Monaco today for ly well against us,” Juve’s veteran French interna- those who played in Turin were not 100 percent. the second leg of their Champions League quar- tional left-back Patrice Evra told Canal Plus. “I But the Champions League game will be differ- ter-final looking to clinch a place in the last four think the second leg will be different and ent. The stadium will be full,” insisted the for the first time in over a decade. Juventus will have a greater control of the Portuguese coach. An immovable force at the top of the match. “I was really proud of Monaco when they The question remains as to whether they can European game in the 1990s, when they reached beat Arsenal because I saw them playing with- score the goals needed to go through. After all, three consecutive finals, including beating Ajax out fear. Some of the Monaco players say that Monaco have netted just three times in four in the 1996 showpiece, Juve were also they are better away from home because the Champions League home games this season. AUSTRALIA: Mu Kanazaki (left) of Japan’s Kashima Antlers fights for the ball with Champions League runners-up in 2003, losing to stadiums and the atmosphere are different.” At least they can call on one of the tightest Yusuke Tanaka (center) of Australia’s Western Sydney Wanderers during their AFC AC Milan. But they have not got beyond the last defences in Europe, although in midfield it Champions League football match.

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