Having defeated Feyenoord 3-2 at the Civitas Metropolitano earlier this month, Atletico Madrid are hoping to make it back-to-back wins in the Champions League when they take on Celtic in Glasgow on Wednesday evening.
Victory for Diego Simeone’s side would see them very well-placed to secure passage to the knockout stages of the competition, something that they were unable to do last season as they crashed out in the group stages.
Speaking to the media ahead of Wednesday’s match, Atletico captain Koke Resurreccion stated his belief that criticism of his side’s Champions League showings is not overly warranted.
“I think sometimes the criticism is unfair. Two years ago, Manchester City knocked us out in the quarter-finals after some great matches. It’s true that last season was a poor Champions League, but we generally do things well.
“This year, we’ve played two Champions League matches, drew in Rome, and won at home. We’re here to win, and while we’ve had some good and not-so-good moments in the Champions League, we will always compete and give our all.”
It’s true that Atletico Madrid have been unable to reach the heights of past Champions League campaigns, although they were arguably punching above their weight when they reached finals in 2014 and 2016. Still, they would love to get back there this season, and that could start with victory against Celtic.
