Xabi Alonso ready for intense duel against Atletico Madrid
Xabi Alonso is expecting a hugely intense battle over 180 minutes with Atletico Madrid.
The former Real Madrid star, now at Bayern Munich, is not surprised to see Atletico in the semi-finals and is ready for a fiery atmosphere at the Vicente Calderon.
"Obviously some of us know Atleti more than others, but in the last few days we’ve started to prepare the game," said Alonso. "We know it will be 180 minutes – at the very least - very intense against a very good side who in the last few years have shown they’re in the top five in Europe and the respect is high for them.
"It’s no surprise to see Atleti in the semis. They’re in European football’s elite, competing for everything, La Liga, the Champions League. They’ve installed themselves up there and their progress is very quick and deserved.
"They’ve always been a difficult side to play against and their progression in the last few years has helped them grow as a side and club in order to compete for all competitions. We know tomorrow will be a hard, intense game, and their crowd will get behind them. We want to get a good result to take back to the Allianz.
"They’re obviously good players and we know them. We’ve analysed and prepped the game but without any kind of negative connotation. We’ve got to know them and what they can do. They’re one of the best sides in the world and we need to know everything."
