Liverpool match last chance for Atletico coach – press

Atletico Madrid's Mexican coach Javier Aguirre could be fired if the team perform badly against Liverpool on Wednesday, Spanish newspapers said.

The sports daily Marca said the Champions League Group D match in the Spanish capital may be Aguirre's last chance.

Another sports daily, AS, gave him until Sunday's match against Villareal.

Atletico, fourth in the Spanish first division last season, are currently eighth, with three wins and four defeats, the last of which was a derby match against Real Madrid.

But they are better placed in the Champions League, where they top the group with two wins out of two.

Atletico's Dutch international John Heitinga defended Aguirre Monday.

“Aguirre is a good coach, he has already been at the club for three years and he is doing good work,” said Heitinga, who will be without his usual partner in central defence on Wednesday, Czech Tomas Ujfalusi, who was injured against Real Madrid on Saturday.

Aguirre, who turns 50 on December 1, has been at Atletico since the 2006-2007 season.

The club qualified for the Champions League for the first time since 1996-97, by eliminating Schalke 04 in the third preliminary round.