Diego Simeone has given Liverpool a worthy complement by saying they will stand the test of time in comparison to other great sides.
The Atletico Madrid manager will come up against the European Champions this evening on the same ground where Jordqn Henderson lifted number six in June.
Speaking before the first leg, Simeone was glowing in his tribute for Jurgen Klopp and his team as the Mirror reported.
“Liverpool are a magnificent team trained by a coach who is different,”
“We have always spoken about great teams and I have no doubt this Liverpool team will go down in football history as a great team because it is different to other teams.
“This team is more intensive, changes and adapts. I admire this as a rival coach.
“Klopp has been creating this kind of team for four years and he has been improving.”
The 49 year-old Argentinian who won more than 100 caps for his country admitted that he felt Liverpool would struggle to recover once Philippe Coutinho left the club to join Barcelona.
However, their ability to overcome that loss in a seamless fashion really impressed Simeone.
“Even after Coutinho left, when it looked as though the team was breaking up, the opposite happened.
“It became even stronger and that says a lot about the players who are at Liverpool.
While he knows the tie will be a big challenge with a few players unavailable or lacking in consistent minutes of late, he has full faith in those who will take to the Wanda Metropolitano stadium and his supporters who will be attendance.
“We are going to play against some vibrant fans at Liverpool but I really trust my fans and my players.
For his part, Jurgen Klopp is really looking forward to coming up another animated character on the touchline and paid Simeone a tribute of his own as he prepares to go head to head with him for the first time.
“People say about me I am emotional on the sideline If I am level 4 I would say Diego is level 12.
“I am really like the Kindergarten Kop against him. Really impressive. He has been here eight years.
“That is really long, and still having this emotional level, wow. That is really impressive.
“His teams are always world class organised.
"If you work hard as possible you have a chance, if you don’t you have no chance.
"You will not have a shot on target against them.
“That makes him one of the best.
“We have exchanged messages after big games. We meet in a competitive game for the first time.
"It will be interesting, really interesting.”
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