Soccer

Teamwork key in clash with Bayern Munich, says Fernando Torres

Atlético Madrid go into semi-final second leg with seven-match winning streak

Atlético Madrid striker Fernando Torres: “We are nothing if we are not a team. As a team we can beat anyone.” Photograph: Michaela Rehle/Reuters
Atlético Madrid striker Fernando Torres: “We are nothing if we are not a team. As a team we can beat anyone.” Photograph: Michaela Rehle/Reuters
Mon May 02 2016 - 19:29

Atlético Madrid must rely on their renowned teamwork to get past Bayern Munich in Tuesday's Champions League last-four clash as they bid to reach a second final in three seasons, according to striker Fernando Torres.

Atlético beat the Germans 1-0 in last week’s first leg to take a narrow advantage with them to Munich as they attempt to repeat their 2014 feat of reaching the showpiece match.

Real Madrid, who beat Atlético in that final, face Manchester City in the other semi after a goalless first leg.

“The most important thing is that we know who we are,” Torres told reporters yesterday. “We are nothing if we are not a team. As a team we can beat anyone.”

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Atlético have peaked at just the right time, going into the game with a seven-match winning streak in all competitions while keeping six straight clean sheets.

They are also level on points with La Liga leaders Barcelona, albeit in second place on their head-to-head record, with two games remaining.

“We want to keep being a team and this is our mentality,” Torres said. “We die for each other and every game is a battle. Bayern are probably the best team we have faced this season.”

Atlético coach Diego Simeone will have defender Diego Godin back after he recovered from a hamstring injury but he declined to reveal if the Uruguayan would play.

Major prize

“We have four strong central defenders available,” said the Argentine coach, who has had great success at the club including winning La Liga and the Europa League – the Champions League is the last major prize missing from his collection.

“The work we have done these past 4½ years is gradually paying off,” Simeone said.

Bayern Munich are desperate to avoid losing a third consecutive Champions League semi-final to Spanish opponents but coach Pep Guardiola has his work cut out to end his time in Germany on a high.

Guardiola inherited the reigning European champions when he joined Bayern in 2013, but has endured successive semi-final failures since, falling to Real Madrid in 2014 and to his former club Barcelona last season.

With Guardiola leaving for Manchester City at the season’s end, this is his last chance to conquer Europe with Bayern, who won the first of their five European Cups by defeating Atlético in 1974.

“It’s not over yet, we still have a chance,” Guardiola told reporters. “If we lose it, you can kill me, but we still have a chance.”