SIMEONE BEATS COMPATRIOT MARTINO IN TACTICAL BATTLE

MADRID: Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone got his tactics spot on in the battle with Barcelona counterpart and Argentine compatriot Gerardo Martino as his unfancied side dumped their wealthier rivals out of Europe on Wednesday.

Barca were unable to cope with a fired-up Atletico in the opening 20 minutes of the Champions League quarter-final, second leg at the Calderon, when Koke scored the only goal of the game in the fifth minute to secure a 2-1 aggregate success.

Although Barca improved in the second half, Atletico turned in a brilliant defensive display, almost scoring several times on the counter-attack, to claim their place in the last four of Europe’s elite competition for the first time in four decades.

It was a classic smash and grab raid and Atletico’s gutsy performance was typical of a side who take inspiration from a coach who as a combative and never-say-die midfielder was said to play “with a knife between his teeth”.

“I think the first half, those opening 20 minutes, were very good due to our aggression, our speed, our focus, our commitment,” Simeone said.

“Later on, obviously Barcelona started to grow into the game, above all they had more of the ball,” added the 43-year-old, who has transformed Atletico into genuine contenders in Spain and Europe since taking over at the end of 2011.

I THINK THE FIRST HALF, THOSE OPENING 20 MINUTES, WERE VERY GOOD DUE TO OUR AGGRESSION, OUR SPEED, OUR FOCUS, OUR COMMITMENT

DIEGO SIMEONE