La Liga giants Atletico Madrid will face Portuguese Premier League side Benfica in a much-anticipated Champions League clash at 3:00 a.m. Beijing time on October 3rd. Former Portuguese international Silvio Manuel, who has played for both clubs, was interviewed by Marca before the match, sharing his thoughts on the match, his memories of Simeone's coaching characteristics, his career regrets at Atletico Madrid, and his deep affection for both clubs.
In the interview, Silvio Manuel began by talking about one of the best pictures he has on his phone - the moment he lifted the UEFA Cup title he won with Atletico Madrid. He said emotionally, "That was one of the most important moments of my career, and even though I didn't play a lot of minutes that season, I'm very happy to have won this trophy with Atletico. This trophy will stay in my memory forever."
Reflecting on his time at Atletico Madrid, Silvio Manuel said that despite experiencing knee injuries and playing time limitations, he always gave his all and was very proud to play for this club. He revealed that it was difficult for him to get back to his old form after Simeone's arrival due to injuries, but Simeone has always been very open with him and he has maintained the same attitude towards him.
On not being able to show his full strength, Silvio Manuel said it was a shame. He said, "I enjoyed my time at Atletico, but ultimately I felt a little frustrated because I wanted to do more. However, soccer is like that, with good aspects and misfortunes like injuries."
Talking about this Champions League clash, Silvio Manuel said that he loves both clubs, Atletico Madrid and Benfica, so this match is very special for him. According to him, Atletico Madrid has a bigger name in Europe and is a very experienced team in the Champions League, while Benfica is also a giant club with a great atmosphere at home. He expects it to be a very good game and hopes that the strongest team will win.
On whether Atletico Madrid can break the Champions League curse, Silvio Manuel said that the Champions League brings together the best teams and Atletico Madrid improves every year, but so do other teams. However, he believes that Atletico have great players and substitutes who can change the game, such as Correa. Therefore, he expects Atletico to do well in the Champions League this season and even break the Champions League curse.
Throughout the interview, Silvio Manuel showed a deep affection for soccer and loyalty to both clubs. He used his own experiences and stories to give fans a more realistic and three-dimensional view of the world of Atletico and Benfica. Expect this Champions League clash to be as exciting as he wants it to be.
