Diego Simeone has described Mohamed Salah as an extraordinary player, the Egyptian has already netted ten goals this season.
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Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool travel to Wanda Metropolitano on Tuesday to take on Atletico Madrid in the Champions League group stage fixture. The Red Devils are in sublime form, having thrashed Watford 5-0 on Saturday. Meanwhile Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid had knocked out the 2019 champions in the last 16 stage of the Champions League in 2020. After the loss, last year, Klopp had questioned Simeone’s style of play and later said that his comments were based on emotions at the time.
“Diego Simeone is doing absolutely everything right,” Klopp said at his pre-match news conference on Monday.
“He is the current Spanish champion. Very successful at [Atletico]. He has a bunch of world-class players, keeps them on their toes, they fight with all they have for their lives.
“That says a lot about the quality of Diego so I couldn’t respect more what they do.
“Do I like it? Not too much but that is normal because I prefer a different kind of football. That’s me. Other coaches prefer different styles of football. Nobody has to like it, it just has to be successful and that is what Atletico is for sure.”
Klopp is aware his side will need to be “top class” and “incredibly brave” or Atletico “will eat you”.
Atletico Madrid’s defensive solidity has always been their strength and now they have added a bit more variety and pace to their attack. Former Liverpool man Luis Suarez leads the attack, with Antoine Griezmann and Joao Felix in support.
“They are still the result machine they were before,” Klopp said.
“I am a very positive person, but I am not that positive or naive that I think we have these games already in our pocket.
“They have changed players and system so we face a different animal, but not a weaker one.”
Mohamed Salah has been in phenomenal form for Liverpool this season, having scored ten goals and provided four assists in all competitions so far. The Egyptians solo goal against Watford led Klopp to describe him as the best player in the world.
“All I care about really is Liverpool but Mohamed Salah is an extraordinary player, who has been playing at a fantastic level for the last few years with Liverpool and his national team,” said Simeone.
The Red Devils are presently placed second in the Premier League table with 18 points from 8 games.
“Liverpool are going through a fantastic spell of football, they seem to have a different rhythm, and it is a pleasure to see them play.
“They have no fear to leave spaces at the back. They press high, play a high line, have speed.
“(Virgil) Van Dijk has improved solidity in defence, which is important even for an attacking team like Liverpool, and he brings security they didn’t have last year.
“I don’t expect anything other than a team who will make things very difficult for us.
“We need to match their intensity and then look for our own chances. We will try to find ways to hurt them.
“The last time we faced Liverpool, we won the game at home before we even entered the stadium. I want that to be remembered.”
