When he raced through a static Bayern defence to coolly slot the ball past Manuel Neuer, Antoine Griezmann made if nine Champions League goals, Atletico Madrid’s highest scorer in Champions League history.
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The two sides played out a 0-0 draw in the first leg of the semi-final at the Etihad and Madrid are hoping to get the job done at the Santiago Bernabeu.
“It is important for the club and for me personally”.
“We achieved our goal, we have seen that we are a very strong team, but we were really good defensively”.
Diego Simeone’s Atletico went through, having won the first game in Spain 1-0, and even though they were comprehensively outplayed by Bayern for most of the return leg. “We tried everything. Unfortunately it wasn’t enough”, Lahm was quoted as saying by goal.com. The penalty miss by Torres hurt us but in the end it was like a movie, thrilling, with five minutes extra time. Of course I would have wanted to reach the final in each of these three years.
Guardiola also said he had no regrets about his team selection to face Atletico, having recalled Muller, Franck Ribery and Jerome Boateng in making three changes from the side who lost the first leg. “We need to keep grounded and first of all think of the Liga before the final”, said Griezmann, whose side are level on points with leaders Barcelona in the Spanish title race.
But Cerezo believes half the continent is rooting for Atletico to triumph this season and suggested Vidal is simply envious of their chance to contest the final in Milan.
“But if you say that I had to win the Champions League, then I have failed”.
Things have been brighter for Guardiola in the Bundesliga, where he can win his third straight title with Bayern Munich on Saturday.
He, however, denied being disappointed, arguing that you can only be disappointed “when they haven’t played well”. “I hope Carlo can do it next season”.
“We eliminated PSV, Barcelona and Bayern to get here, so watch out [to the other finalists]!”
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They qualified by the double value of the goals scored away from home.
