- Liverpool journey to Madrid to face Atletico within the Champions League on Tuesday
- Two sides met in final season's quarter-finals, the place the Reds crumbled late on
- After the sport, Klopp mentioned Atletico did not play 'correct soccer' in his interview
- Diego Simeone has refused to be drawn right into a confrontation along with his rival boss
Diego Simeone has refused to touch upon Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp's jibe about Atletico Madrid failing to play 'correct soccer' the final time the 2 sides met within the Champions League.
In final season's quarter-final, Atletico Madrid received 1-0 on the Wanda Metropolitano, earlier than the Reds appeared to have turned the tie round within the return leg, going 2-0 up in additional time earlier than caving in and dropping 3-2 at Anfield and 4-2 on combination.
After the sport, Klopp mentioned made waves along with his feedback when he famous: 'I do not perceive, with the standard they've, the soccer they play. They may play correct soccer, however they stand deep and have counter-attacks.'
Now, 19 months on, the edges are able to face off once more, this time within the group phases, however when asking what he needed to say about Klopp's criticism final 12 months, Simeone responded: 'Nothing'.
Klopp, in the meantime, was happier to elaborate on his feedback from 2020 and insisted as soon as once more that he does not just like the type of soccer Simeone's groups play.
Talking in his personal press convention, he mentioned: 'At the start I mentioned after the second sport [last season] that I used to be indignant and dissatisfied about life a little bit bit, that issues go incorrect on the earth and we've got to give attention to soccer after which we performed a staff filled with world class gamers who defended with all they've.
'Simeone is doing completely the whole lot proper, Spanish champions, at Atletico for a really very long time and a bunch of world class gamers, retains them on their toes, I respect what they do.
'Do I prefer it? Not an excessive amount of however I like a distinct type of soccer. I don't have to love it, it simply needs to be profitable however in very tough occasions for soccer golf equipment, they've performed a powerful job with signings, have a correct staff and search for me just like the champions once more in LaLiga.
'What I mentioned was for certain influenced by the temper I used to be in a single and a half years in the past.'
Elsewhere, Atletico Madrid boss Simeone has accepted his aspect are assembly a Liverpool staff again to their finest, and led by the 'extraordinary' Mohamed Salah.
Klopp's staff look even stronger this season, have scored three or extra objectives in all six of their away matches, discovered the online 33 occasions in 11 fixtures and have but to fail to attain in any match.
Salah himself has 10 objectives in as many appearances and has scored in each match bar one.
A return to the Wanda Metropolitano, the scene of their 2019 Champions League closing victory over Tottenham, might be their hardest project but and Simeone is effectively conscious of what's awaiting the Spanish champions.
'All I care about actually is Liverpool however Mohamed Salah is a unprecedented participant, who has been enjoying at a incredible stage for the previous couple of years with Liverpool and his nationwide staff,' mentioned the Atletico coach.
'Liverpool are going by means of a incredible spell of soccer, they appear to have a distinct rhythm, and it's a pleasure to see them play.
'They don't have any concern to go away areas on the again. They press excessive, play a excessive line, have pace.
'(Virgil) Van Dijk has improved solidity in defence, which is vital even for an attacking staff like Liverpool, and he brings safety they did not have final 12 months.
'I do not anticipate something apart from a staff who will make issues very tough for us.
'We have to match their depth after which search for our personal possibilities. We are going to attempt to discover methods to harm them.
'The final time we confronted Liverpool, we received the sport at dwelling earlier than we even entered the stadium. I would like that to be remembered.'
