Atletico eye place in Champions League quarters (Preview)

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IANS Madrid
Last Updated : Mar 14 2016 | 5:43 PM IST

Atletico Madrid will be looking to continue the form they showed at home to Deportivo la Coruna in La Liga on Saturday when they try to book a place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League football on Tuesday.

Diego Simeone's side are favourites to qualify for the last eight after a 0-0 draw away to PSV Eindhoven.

However, their failure to score an away goal does leave them open to the threat their rivals could progress on the away goals rule.

Atletico had no problem finding a way past Deportivo at the weekend with a performance which highlighted the strengths in their play.

With a high line of pressure, Atletico stopped their rivals from creating anything and then took their chances with clinical precision, using the pace and quick thinking of forwards Antoine Griezmann and the running of Saul Niguez from deep to win 3-0.

Simeone will not make many changes to Saturday's side on Tuesday, although striker Fernando Torres could force his way into the starting 11 after being rested at the weekend.

Meanwhile Simeone made his philosophy clear by saying that winning was the most important thing.

"I am not interested either myself nor anyone else enjoying themselves," he said on Monday.

Should Atletico qualify for the quarter-finals there would be the chance of meeting a Spanish side in the last eight and with Real Madrid already in the last eight. The chance of a Madrid derby cannot be ruled out.

Atletico have work to do, but with Simeone's eyes fixed entirely on the prize, his side are favourites to qualify on Tuesday.

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First Published: Mar 14 2016 | 5:30 PM IST

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