Diego Simeone has forecast a highly demanding match for Atletico Madrid on their visit to Stuttgart in the Champions League. The rojiblanco coach highlighted the physical strength of the German side in his pre-match press conference ahead of Wednesday's clash at the Mercedes-Benz Arena.

Atletico arrives at this European fixture in excellent form, sitting second in La Liga with 22 points after nine matchdays. A run of five consecutive victories, including the win over Espanyol last Saturday, boosts Simeone's team. Their next league opponent is Deportivo La Coruna at the Metropolitano.

Simeone's preview

Simeone analysed the German opponent with respect. "Tomorrow will demand the maximum from us. We'll face a tough opponent with tall and strong players," the manager stated. He added that Stuttgart is a team with clear ideas who press man-to-man and defend well when they drop back, so Atletico must take the game into areas where they believe they can hurt them.

The Argentine also referred to the importance of midfielders continuing to contribute goals, a requirement he has insisted on for almost three decades at the club. This season, half of the team's 22 goals across all competitions have been scored by players from this area, led by Alex Baena with five. "It's fundamental that the players from the middle of the pitch keep arriving with danger," Simeone affirmed, recalling that this philosophy has been a constant since his arrival on the bench.

The coach confirmed the squad is complete and without absences for the match, allowing him to face the duel with all his options. "We have everyone available, it's good news to be able to compete as we like," he noted.

Historical context

The return to Stuttgart holds special meaning for the red-and-white club. It was in this city, at the then Neckarstadion, where the club won its first European title, the European Cup Winners' Cup, against Fiorentina in 1962. Simeone acknowledged it is always nice to return to places where important things happened for the club's history.

The match against Stuttgart will be played this Wednesday at 21:00 CEST. A victory in Germany would bring Atletico closer to qualification for the next phase of the Champions League, a key objective of the season.

Read the full report at en.atleticodemadrid.com