Many Liverpool fans have laughed off brash comments from Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone ahead of the teams’ Champions League clash at Anfield tomorrow night.
Speaking to Marca, the Argentine said that he has created an “Anfield formula” to get at the Reds and exploit perceived weaknesses in their defence, with @AnfieldEdition on Twitter informing followers of the Atletico manager’s claims.
Diego Simeone has created an “Anfield formula” to help Atletico Madrid progress against Liverpool on Wednesday, with the fundamentals of the plan being to exploit the perceived weaknesses in Liverpool’s defence. [Marca]
— Anfield Edition (@AnfieldEdition) March 9, 2020
The La Liga outfit take a 1-0 lead with them to Merseyside for tomorrow’s second leg knowing that, in order to advance, they need only to avoid defeat or lose by a one-goal margin if they can score. They won the first leg despite having fewer shots and a mere 27.4% possession, with Saul Niguez’s fourth-minute goal proving decisive.
While that defeat set in motion a five-match sequence without a clean sheet for Liverpool, Atletico do not exactly boast the most fearsome of attacking units. They have netted just 31 La Liga goals this season, with only one team in the top 13 scoring fewer, with Simeone renowned as a pragmatic manager who prioritises defensive solidity and quick counterattacking (as per The Guardian).
These Liverpool fans on Twitter were unperturbed by the Atletico manager’s comments, with one drawing a mocking comparison with Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer due to his preference for counterattacking football:
Yeah, but they’ve scored less league goals than Bournemouth this season. Sitting ducks, come on Reds
— Donnacha McCormack??????? (@dunta90) March 9, 2020
10 men behind the ball and counter, has he been watching ole ???
— Redmike1972 (@redmike1972) March 9, 2020
— WernerSZN?????(RT pinned) (@TimoTime0) March 9, 2020
And defend deep, dive, time waste, surround the ref and cry to the ref
— MOLO (@_shameless_man) March 9, 2020
The Klopp effect > The Anfield formula ?
— Red Silence (@TheeRedSilence) March 9, 2020
It will be the same as his “Wanda metropolitano formula”
Cheat, dive, squeal, surround the ref, look for cards, play an 910 formation and hope for the best again..all while looking at the crowd waving his hands around !!
A manager that’s taken athleti to 5th in a 3 team league
— LFC7610 (@LFC7610) March 9, 2020
Might want to worry about his teams weaknesses especially away
— Michael goodey (@Michaelgoodey1) March 9, 2020
Liverpool fans, what did you make of Simeone’s brash claims ahead of tomorrow night’s clash? Comment below with your views!
