Atlético Madrid is no longer the counter team of yesteryear, Peter Bosz and Guus Til analyze. Both argue that tomorrow night's opponent can defend as well as attack, "although the quick forward players still remain dangerous in the switch.
Guus Til
Guus, why are you doing so well lately?
"That's hard to say, because it has to do with so many factors. And you have no influence on many of them. But of course we are playing well, and then scoring becomes easier."
How do you think you guys have done so far in Europe?
"The first game was not good, but in the other duels we have reached a very high level."
What do you think of Atlético Madrid?
"They do a lot differently than a few years ago. They play very varied and by no means always on the counter. Sometimes they play defensively, but sometimes they play offensively. Sometimes they put high pressure and sometimes they play in a low block. The coach has been there a long time, so you can see that there are a lot of automatisms in that team."
You once played a practice match with Feyenoord against them. What do you think of Simeone's behavior?
"Well that was hardly a practice match, haha. So intense. Arne Slot still got into a fight with Simeone, that's right. Well, for us Dutch it takes some getting used to, but it's part of the game. I have no problem with it."
The last two games you played with Pepi. What changes for you then?
"Then I am no longer the deepest man and Pepi plays in the point. But it doesn't matter so much to me, it's just different. With Pepi you know you always have an option for the one-two, so then I look for him rather than going deep myself."
Peter Bosz
Diego Simeone was coach when you were at Heracles. How do you view him?
"I have a lot of admiration for him. We are opposites somewhere, but if you last somewhere for so long, you do it very well. He has really made it a great club. They've become champions, played Champions League finals. Hats off to him."
Can you learn anything from him?
"Definitely. His defense is like a house. They bring a lot of people behind the ball and that's with an idea. We look at that too. Even though they don't play as defensively as people think."
Are they more vulnerable because of the different style of play?
"Yes, because attacking teams are more vulnerable at the back. So are they. A team that hangs in front of the goal with 11 men is defensively at its best. But up front they are so technical and so fast. In the changeover they are still deadly."
You are in good shape, having beaten two top clubs. Does that affect how you are approached?
"You have to ask them, but it will make an impression. I can imagine that does something."
You had nice words to say about Schouten last weekend. What do you find so special about his game?
"At the moment everything. He is developing defensively and on the ball he is SO good. He always finds the free man and plays effortlessly under pressure."
Has this become his best position?
"Well, I look at what the team needs. He has to accommodate that, but he is very special in that position."
What do you think of your position in the league table?
"After five games eight points ... I had signed up for that beforehand. It's nice that we have those points. We have three more chances to take more, even if it's against the top three times. We are not going to approach the matches differently now that we are in good shape. We always want to win a game, away or at home. Make the 2-0 and not defend the 1-0. That's the starting point."
You have luxury problems, because you have more than eleven players you can just put in the starting lineup.
"I don't find that difficult, this is as you say luxury. I have to disappoint some guys. That's not fun, but it's part of it."
Álvarez is Atlético's big man, a top player. How do you see that?
"I was surprised that City let him go. He is a top player, but you do Atlético wrong if you only talk about him. They have so many great players."