News · From the live show
Atlético without a win in their last five visits to Germany
Rubén Uría fears the physical pace of German sides, on a par with or even greater than that of English teams
Rubén Uría sets out his fear of the physical pace of German teams during the discussion
Rubén Uría points out that Atlético have not won any of their last five matches in Germany and explains his concern: German sides play at 200 miles an hour and do not know how to slow the game down.
Rubén Uría brought up a worrying statistic: Atlético have not won any of their last five matches in Germany. And he explained why he was raising it in the discussion.
His biggest fear was the physical side of the game. Atlético compete very well in Europe, he said, but when they face English teams the players end up exhausted, and German sides have the same pace, aggression and intensity, if not more. He recalled how Atlético have been cut to pieces by Dortmund and torn apart by Bayern, and how hard Leverkusen made things for them. That is why he wanted a team in top physical condition and very precise on the ball.
Javo agreed with him: although Stuttgart are technically inferior, physically, combined with the atmosphere and their excitement, they can level the playing field, because their coach is like Simeone: effort is non-negotiable.