Atletico Madrid’s Axel Witsel called for patience and a clear-headed approach to Wednesday’s game against Inter Milan, in which they must come from 1-0 down in the first leg if they are to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
Atletico Madrid defender Axel Witsel said on Tuesday that his team have “time” and are playing “at home” in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against Inter, in which they must come back from 1-0 down, so he called for an “smart” game, and highlighted the strength of their opponents, who they must match “in aggressiveness”.
“We have to play a smart game. We have time, we are at home. Intensity is the way for us to do something on Wednesday,” he explained at a press conference on the eve of the clash at the Civitas Metropolitano stadium, alongside Diego Simeone, his coach, after the morning training session at the Ciudad Deportiva de Majadahonda.
“The last game (the 2-0 defeat against Cadiz) was very bad, but we have to change the mind-set. We can’t go on like this. This Wednesday’s game is another competition, it’s the Champions League, it’s a home game, where we’ve played good games. It’s different,” said the player, who predicted that the fans will support the team “as always”.
“We’re going to have a great atmosphere here inside the stadium, as always,” said Witsel, who highlighted Inter as “a very strong team in all positions”.
“It’s not going to be an easy game. They are a team that is very aggressive, with a lot of intensity. If we have the same level of aggression or intensity as them or more, we’ll be able to do something on Wednesday,” he said.
“It’s not easy” to defend Inter’s offensive style of play. “We have to stop this style of play of theirs collectively. One player alone is not going to stop everything,” warned the defender, whose side have Antoine Griezmann back: “Of course he gives the team a lot of strength when he’s ready to play. When he’s not with us, of course it’s different, because in the end he’s a very important player. We’re very happy he’s here.
Witsel’s contract expires on 30th June. “There is no news (about his future), but I am more focused on the games to come. When it’s time to talk about my future, it will be talked about. Right now it’s not the most important issue. It’s the game on Wednesday,” said the midfielder, whose current contract no longer includes an automatic renewal.