SIMEONE DOWNPLAYS PRESSURE AHEAD OF ATLETICO MADRID VS ARSENAL.

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone has dismissed any talk of pressure ahead of
their Champions League semi-final first leg against Arsenal, insisting the challenge is
a responsibility rather than a burden.
Atletico are still chasing a first Champions League title after three final defeats in
their history, including two under Simeone, and arrive after a difficult season that has
seen them sit fourth in LaLiga and lose the Copa del Rey final to Real Sociedad.
“There’s no pressure, there’s a sense of responsibility,” Simeone said. “At the end of
the day, it’s a football match, and the players decide the outcome.”
He added, “A competition doesn’t owe anyone anything. Things have to be earned.”
Simeone backed his side’s knockout mentality as their key weapon.
“We play with intensity and our style,” he said. “That’s how we’ll approach it.”