'Faith our fans have is contagious': Diego Simeone

Atletico Madrid players celebrate a goal against Athletic Bilbao in a La Liga game recently. Pic/AFP

Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone knows his side will start Wednesday's Champions League semi-final clash against Arsenal as the underdogs, but is hoping the raucous atmosphere at the Metropolitana Stadium can help even the odds.

"We have a really tough game against a very good team, with a set-piece strategy that they've worked on a lot, but we'll go for it [the win]. It's wonderful, incredible [to be in the semi-finals once again], and I think the faith, the hope, that our fans give to us is contagious and will do us well, " Simeone said at the pre-match press conference on Tuesday.

Diego Simeone. Pic/AFP

Atletico will be playing their first UCL semi-final in nine years, and considering the patchy form they are in (one win in their last five games across all competitions) along with the fact they lost 0-4 to Arsenal in the group stage, there are bound to be nerves.

"When the date draws near, your stomach is in knots, like when you have a first date with the girl you like," Koke told reporters Tuesday. "[But] once you start warming up, it all goes away. You play with the excitement of playing a semi-final," he added.

However, they will take plenty of confidence from the fact that they knocked out Barcelona in the quarter-final stage, and with the likes striker Julian Alvarez in fine fettle (seven goals in 10 UCL games this season), Simeone's side have every chance of reaching their first UCL final since 2016.

28
No. of goals scored by Atletico Madrid in six UCL knockout games this season

One
No. of times Atletico have beaten Arsenal across three matches in all competitions

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