Atletico de Madrid midfielder Mario Suarez has said nobody wanted to be drawn against Real Madrid in the Champions League as they are a formidable side in European competition.
Los Blancos and their cross city rivals face each other for the seventh and eighth times this season in April with Carlo Ancelotti’s men looking to get their first win over the Vicente Calderon side and progress to the semi-finals.
They have lost both La Liga matches and also drew and lost one match apiece in the Spanish Supercopa and Copa del Rey.
But despite having the upper hand on Real this campaign, Suarez told El Partido de la 12 that the 10-time Champions League winners are a force to be reckoned with.
“Madrid are a great team and they are on an upward path at the moment. Nobody wanted to come across them but it’s a very good tie. We’ll be going all out to win both games because neither of us will want a draw,” he said.
He continued: “There will be a lot of intensity. It’s a derby in the best club competition in the world and there is a great rivalry between us at the moment. I recommend that everybody watches it.
“For us the past and the final [against Real Madrid in Lisbon] does not count. It’s just a memory that’s there. It hurt a lot but we learnt from it. We are fighting, and will continue fighting, to be among the best in Europe.”
