Back
5.11.2019Champions League

Atletico lack 'clinical finishing' too

Diego Simeone has predicted his team will face a tough battle against Bayer 04: "I'm expecting a Leverkusen team who will produce their best performance." The coach of the top Spanish club Atletico Madrid fielded questions from German and Spanish members of the media at the pre-match press conference ahead of tomorrow's Champions League clash at the BayArena (6 November, kick-off: 21.00 CET).
20191105_PK_Atletico_Madrid_67774.jpg

The 49-year-old Argentinian highlighted the strengths of the Werkself: "They are a team with very good players, they play very attacking and fast football." However, those qualities were not decisive in the first meeting: Alvaro Morata came off the bench to score the only goal of the game on 78 minutes for the Spanish side with a header.

The 27-year-old could well be in the starting line-up with his four goals in the last four games as could central defender Mario Hermoso, who said at the press conference: "We want to play and we’ll treat the match as if it's a final." And moving the pre-match training session from the BayArena to the Ulrich Haberland Stadium, due to it being the fourth home match in twelve days, was not a negative factor for the Madrid side. "We've heard we won't be able to train in the stadium tonight. But that doesn't bother us. Our mentality is good," said the 24-year-old summer signing Hermoso, who played for Espanyol last season.

Simeone: Atletico's weak point

Simeone looked at an aspect of the game that has occupied the Werkself for several matches: conversion of chances. "I can explain one situation after another to you as reasons why we haven't scored. But what we are really missing is clinical finishing," declared the Argentinian.

 

Related News

Effiziente Anfangsphase: Bayer 04-Frauen schlagen Leipzig verdient | 12. Spieltag
Werkself-TV - 06.12.2025

Women: TV-highlights of 3-2 win against RB Leipzig

Werkself-TV shows the highlights of the Bayer 04 women's 3-2 win against RB Leipzig on the 12th matchday of the Google Pixel Frauen-Bundesliga 2025/26.

Show more
Kurzpässe vor #FCAB04
Bundesliga - 06.12.2025

Matchday news #FCAB04: Build on record win rate against Augsburg side under new management

For the second time in three weeks, Bayer 04 have to face a team that has just changed coach. The Werkself’s overall record against Augsburg and the Bavarians’ poor season so far both point towards a Leverkusen win, but head coach Kasper Hjulmand is still aware of the threat going into Saturday’s Bundesliga encounter (kick-off: 15:30 CET). Here’s all you need to know ahead of the Matchday 13 fixture at the WWK Arena.

Show more
Tom Brady
Bayer 04 - 05.12.2025

World Cup draw: Germany face newcomers Curacao - Argentina and Algeria in same group

The groups for the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico have been finalised. At the draw in the USA capital Washington D.C., which was hosted by German top model Heidi Klum and others, 48 teams were drawn for the first time. The groups at a glance.

Show more
Fernando Carro
Social Commitment - 05.12.2025

Fernando Carro and Stefan Kießling at the Day of Volunteering in the BayArena

As part of the joint commitment of Bayer 04 and the City of Leverkusen to volunteering, the annual Volunteer Day took place in the 19nullvier Lounge at the BayArena. Fernando Carro, Bayer 04 CEO, Stefan Hebbel, Mayor of the City of Leverkusen, and club representative Stefan Kießling praised the commitment of the 200 or so volunteers from the region in attendance and thanked them for their impressive efforts.

Show more