FC Bayern faces a tough challenge in the Champions League on Tuesday night. The Munich team will travel to face Atlético Madrid, a team known for its intense and physical style of play. Lothar Matthäus, Germany’s all-time leading international, is now issuing a clear warning to the German record champions about the Spanish side—and especially their coach, Diego Simeone.
Matthäus knows the Argentine from his playing days. While the current Atlético coach was himself a midfielder back then, the former Bayern star felt the brunt of his uncompromising style of play on multiple occasions. Those memories are apparently still fresh in his mind today.
Ahead of the Champions League matchup, Matthäus, appearing as a TV analyst, described how Simeone was specifically tasked with marking opposing playmakers during his time at Pisa. In doing so, the Argentine was anything but gentle.
Matthäus on Simeone: “He kicked and kicked.”
“He kicked and kicked,” Matthäus recalled of his encounters with Simeone back then.
The tackles were so intense that the former World Player of the Year even considered taking extra protective measures. “I told myself, ‘You’re going to need shin guards front and back,’” explained the 65-year-old.
Matthäus found it particularly remarkable that Simeone didn’t hold back even against his own compatriots. “He even kicked Maradona—an Argentine! He kicked his own captain on the national team. Just imagine that! He was foaming at the mouth.”
In the opinion of the record-holding national team player, Simeone has also instilled this mentality in his team.
“A dirty, unpleasant team”
Atlético Madrid has been considered a particularly unpleasant opponent for years. Thomas Müller had once described the Spaniards as “the biggest hooligans” in European soccer.
Matthäus agreed with this assessment to some extent, but took his choice of words a step further. “Hooligans—that’s actually a nice word. If he’d said ‘kickers’ instead… They’re a dirty, tough team,” explained the former Bayern pro.
Added to that is the unique atmosphere at the Madrid team’s stadium. The fans, too, unconditionally support their team’s aggressive style of play. “They’re just as crazy as Simeone—in a good way,” Matthäus said of the Atlético fans.
For FC Bayern, the match is therefore likely to be a challenge not only in terms of play, but also mentally and physically.
Especially given their current injury woes, this matchup comes at a difficult time for Munich. With Ismael Saibari, Serge Gnabry, Jamal Musiala, and Luis Díaz sidelined, the team is missing several key offensive players.
Nevertheless, Matthäus also sees the match as a valuable experience for Vincent Kompany’s team. “It’s a challenge. But you have to push through it, and you can learn from it. After all, you don’t play every week in such a cauldron, against a team like this, with the way they play soccer. It’ll be a great game.”
For Bayern, the key on Tuesday night will be not to let the hosts’ aggressive style of play throw them off their game. Matthäus, in any case, expects an intense Champions League night.