Diego Simeone believes his Atletico Madrid side are in for a ‘difficult’ test against Inter in the Champions League Round of 16 and has acknowledged that his connections to the Nerazzurri will not make the occasion any easier for him.
Inter will play Atleti over two legs in February and March following the Champions League Round of 16 draw on Monday afternoon.
The two sides have met each other on three occasions since 2010, with Inter winning twice and Atletico winning the third. Inter’s two wins, however, came in a pre-season tournament in 2018, while Atletico won the only competitive fixture, in the UEFA Super Cup in August 2010.
Simeone admitted that Atletico are in for a tough test, and also revealed that he still has a strong connection to compatriot and current Inter vice-Presiden Javier Zanetti.
“We know how complicated the Champions League is, every match presents new challenges and different issues,” Simeone said in his press conference on Tuesday, reported via TMW.
“Last year they (Inter) went on a great journey in this competition, and I feel connected by a particular affection to their vice-president Javier Zanetti. That’s before you consider that I have worn their shirt in the past as well. It will be a very difficult match.”
Inter will host the first leg of the Round of 16 tie at San Siro on February 20, before travelling to Madrid for the reverse fixture on March 13, both of which kick off at 20.00 GMT.