Antoine Griezmann says the prospect of a ‘home’ Champions League final is giving the team extra motivation in this season’s competition. This year’s showpiece will be staged at Atletico ‘s Wanda Metropolitano stadium on June 1 but to stay in the hunt to play in that game, Diego Simeone’s men will need to get past Italian champions Juventus in the last 16. The first leg takes place in Madrid on Wednesday and speaking to the official UEFA website, Griezmann said: “It gives us and the fans even more motivation. “(A home final) would be a celebration for everyone associated with Atletico. The path there will be very difficult, but we will try our best – we will do everything in our power to get there, and then we’ll see.”
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Atletico won the Europa League last season and Griezmann, himself a World Cup winner with France last summer, says victories in such big games have given the team confidence that they can finally get over the line in Europe’s premier club competition – one in which they have been beaten finalists in two of the last five years.
He added: “We have players that have already played in Champions League, Europa League and World Cup finals. We’re already gaining in confidence in important games and moments and I think it’s at those times that we really raise our game and that helps us play better. “We have new faces in the team, but I think that the fundamental base remains the same and that is what will help us to go far.”
