Simeone looking forward to Lazio test

Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone is relishing the prospect of facing Lazio in the Europa League, the club he played with for four years.

Atletico are firming as favourites for the round-of-32 tie, given the Italian side’s worsening injury crisis, and will head to Rome’s Stadio Olimpico full of confidence on the back of six clean sheets in La Liga.

Simeone said he was looking forward to what would be a special evening for him on Thursday.

“Tomorrow is going to be a very special day for me. Atletico Madrid and Lazio are playing each other – two clubs that are part of my footballing life. But now I’m the coach and I have to forget all that and concentrate on winning the game,” Simeone said.

Simeone hinted his side would play a counterattacking style with the emphasis on stopping Lazio from scoring in the opening away leg.

“The most important thing is to keep a clean sheet, but of course when we have possession we will try to score. But as I said, the main goal is to keep a clean sheet,” he said.

“We can’t forget that there are 180 minutes to play. And what we have to do is get a positive result here (in Rome).”