Simeone Tells Atletico to Forget Their Away Form: 'Stuttgart Will Be a Different Test'
Simeone: 'I Have Forgotten Everything That Happened Before'
Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone has brushed aside his side's outstanding away record in LaLiga, insisting that none of it will matter when they travel to face Stuttgart in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Atletico have taken 22 points from their opening nine league games and have won four of their first five away fixtures in the Spanish top flight, including a hard-fought 1-0 win over Espanyol in which Álex Baena struck an 89th-minute winner. Their only LaLiga defeat on the road this season came on September 5, a 3-0 loss to Athletic Club.
Despite that run, Simeone was keen to reset expectations ahead of a demanding European night in Germany.
"The truth is that I have forgotten everything that happened before," Simeone said. "They will quickly forget what they are praising and will value us for what we do tomorrow."
"We're facing a tough match against a physically strong team, one that clearly understands the concept of pressing in the opponent's half, almost always man-to-man, and that drops very deep when it has to defend."
A Difficult Record on German Soil
The numbers suggest Simeone's caution is well founded. Atletico have lost each of their last five away games against German sides in the Champions League, and eight of their last nine trips to Germany overall in the competition (W1). Their only exception in that run was a 4-2 win at Bayer Leverkusen in the last 16 in February 2017.
Atletico have also struggled in their third group or league-phase game of a Champions League campaign, failing to win it since a 1-0 victory over Leverkusen in 2019-20. They have lost on matchday three in four of the last six seasons, drawing the other two.
Simeone's men beat Manchester United 2-0 on matchday two, but they have not kept consecutive clean sheets in the Champions League since February 2020. They were beaten 2-1 at Liverpool on matchday one, a defeat after which, speaking on September 11, 2026, Simeone admitted his side were still "in a construction phase."
Stuttgart, meanwhile, arrive having won their opening two matches of this season's European campaign, making Tuesday's trip an even tougher proposition.
Romero and Koke Ruled Out
Atletico's travelling squad for Germany was named on Monday, with the most notable absentee being Cristian Romero. The defender, who joined Atletico from Tottenham in the summer, has sustained a muscle injury and has not been risked, while club captain Koke is also unavailable.
Asked about the loss of Romero, Simeone was philosophical.
"The importance of Cuti is clear, but the whole makes us all better," Simeone added. "We are not going to go out of this line, the team is more important than the individual."
'We Were So Close' — Atletico Chase Elusive European Crown
Atletico have never won the Champions League, despite coming agonisingly close on several occasions. They lost the final twice, in 2013-14 and 2015-16, both times to city rivals Real Madrid.
They reached the semi-finals last season, going out 2-1 on aggregate to eventual runners-up Arsenal, and defender David Hancko believes that near-miss will only strengthen their challenge this term.
"The feeling from last season is that we were so close to achieving so much: the cup, the Champions League," Hancko said. "We were left with the feeling of reaching the end but not quite making it. We're using that experience to improve this year."
With a daunting trip to Stuttgart ahead and two key players missing, Simeone's side will need to draw on every bit of that experience — and put their impressive league form to one side — if they are to defy recent history in Germany.