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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Sid Lowe in Madrid

‘The mouth kills the fish’: Simeone refuses to bite on criticism of tactics

Atlético Madrid’s manager, Diego Simeone, at a training session on Tuesday to prepare for the Champions League game against Manchester City.
Atlético Madrid’s manager, Diego Simeone, at a training session on Tuesday to prepare for the Champions League game against Manchester City. Photograph: Pierre-Philippe Marcou/AFP/Getty Images

Diego Simeone says Atlético Madrid’s approach to the Champions League quarter-final second leg will not differ much from the first despite his team needing to beat Manchester City to progress. The coach also insisted that he would not be drawn into an argument about style amid intense criticism of his defensive set-up at the Etihad Stadium.

After the first leg, which City won 1-0, Pep Guardiola said since “prehistory” it had been difficult to break down a team that play as deep as Atlético had, employing two lines of five. Some in Spain interpreted those words as dig at Atlético, and there has been renewed debate sparked by Simeone tactics.

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