Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has revealed that facing Atletico Madrid in the quarter finals of the UEFA Champions League will be a difficult test for his team.
City take on the La Liga side in the quarter-finals and Guardiola says Atleti are a clever side, who are capable of stifling teams and preventing them from playing their normal game.
The City boss also added the second leg in Madrid will be particularly tough.
“What can I say? They went through an incredibly tough group stage and then over 180 minutes against United they were better,” said Pep at his Friday press briefing.
“In Madrid they were fantastic, and again here (in Manchester). It’s a team that are what they are and they are able to avoid what you are.
“You try to impose your game, but sometimes it is difficult.
“Playing the second leg away is more complicated. But these are the best eight teams in Europe. All roads are difficult.”
Guardiola says that City and Atleti may be different in many ways, but in some ways, both sides are also very similar.
“If Simeone likes not conceding goals, I like more than him,” said Pep.
“And I like counter attacking, like he does. I am sometimes not able to do things but both teams concede few goals and concede few chances.
“They defend deeper maybe, but some moments they press high. Against United in the first 20 minutes, United could not breathe.
“I saw the game against United in the second leg and the way they had tempo they can use the counter attack.
“They are doing that for many years – maybe one decade. They reached the final of the Champions League and but for one minute, they didn’t win it.”
