Running of the bulls easier than playing Atletico – Watzke

The running of the bulls in Pamplona is easier than taking on Atletico Madrid, according to Borussia Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke.

Dortmund’s Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich are set to take on the La Liga giants in the Champions League semi-finals, with the first leg in Spain on Wednesday.

Watzke feels the traditional bull running may be a more comfortable task than meeting Diego Simeone’s disciplined, well-organised team.

“It’s easier to enter the arena in Pamplona against two bulls than against Atletico,” he told Audi-Star-Talk.

However, Watzke said Pep Guardiola’s men were favourites to claim the prestigious European crown for a sixth time.

“They have a great chance,” he said.

“Of these four semi-finalists, I guess they have the best chance.”

Watzke was full of praise for Bayern, who are on track to win a fourth straight Bundesliga title and 26th overall.

He feels the German giants have matched Barcelona and Real Madrid as the world’s biggest clubs.

“They [Bayern] did almost everything right for 45 years, but since then you get the impression that they do absolutely everything right,” Watzke said.

“They caught up with Real and Barcelona, with the best of the best, and I hardly could imagine that 10 or 15 years ago, that a German team [would] and of course that had to be Bayern.

“They caught up and there isn’t any difference between these clubs any more. No financial, no sportive differences, nothing. That is extraordinarily good and you have to admit that.”