ATLÉTICO ARE TEETERING on the brink of an unceremonious Champions League exit following back-to-back draws with Azeri minnows Qarabag in Group C, and captain Gabi Fernández isn’t particularly excited by the prospect of sliding into the Europa League.
Diego Simeone’s side were held to a 1-1 draw by a 10-man Qarabag outfit in Madrid last night, leaving the three-time European Cup finalists four points adrift of second-placed Chelsea with just two games remaining.
The likelihood is that, with just a point more than Champions League debutants Qarabag, Atlético face a battle to finish third and reach even the Europa League knockout stages, and speaking after their debilitating result at the Wanda Metropolitano, skipper Gabi made clear he had no intentions of settling for a spot in Europe’s secondary competition.
“Right now I would say that the Europa League is a load of shit”, he told beIN, “even though it has given me a lot.
“What hurts most is that we don’t have matters in our own hands, that is the cruel reality,” he added. “We have to try and beat Roma and hope Qarabag are capable of holding Chelsea. At the moment we are out. We have a chance but it is very remote.
“We’re the same players when we win and when we lose, just as the manager, the board, the fans [are the same]… We have to keep working hard and learn from this experience because there’s nothing else to do but pick ourselves up.
“We were poor in the first half. In the second half, when we wanted to turn things around, we weren’t capable of doing so. But no one has said the word impossible.”
Roma moved to the top of Group C with a 3-0 win over second-placed Chelsea at the Stadio Olimpico last night, and the Italian capital club will visit Atlético on 22 November knowing a point will suffice in seeing them through to the last 16.
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Come on Cork, sent the Bitter boys home empty handed
@Andrew Cosgrave: How’s that big Cork bandwagon going for ya?
@John McNamara: Anyone but the Bitter boys John
@Andrew Cosgrave: ye were bitter in 2013 buddy and havent been heard since, then ye come out of the woodwork when ye win a few games
@John McNamara: I’m a Limerick man John, plenty of rivalry there between Clare and us.
@Andrew Cosgrave: haha Limerick hurling??? Laughable!
@John McNamara: Ye, ye, ye, ye and ducking ye.
@John McNamara: I would say enjoy it John but you lot were soundly beaten today. All talk of big balls with no substance. Maybe poor auld Davey wasn’t holding back these players after all, maybe they just ain’t good enough to consistently contest. Clare’s Munster record is atrocious in fairness, even ‘laughable’ Limerick have a way richer recent Munster history than the world beating Bitter boys.
@Andrew Cosgrave: no doubt Cork were the better team and they deserved it, Clare had too many individuals…..but do not ever praise Davy, that man was a drain on the entire county, nobody realises what he is like until he is over the county team. Clare players are more than good enough to contest, they just need to be let play with their instincts. Limerick on the other hand, I’d say an u8 team would beat that gaggle of geese
Following the live blog in Romania. Rebels Abu
@Anthony P: multmesc
Poor quality game but Cork are slightly better team so far and the defence are holding up ok.Ref has given clare one or two really handy ones and very little in the peanlty could possibly be a free out for overplaying.RTE panelists are a joke its all what Clare can do to win, two teams their lads.
I hope clare lose this and wexford draw them in 1/4 final.
@David Higginbotham: my bad don’t think losers of munster and leinster can meet at that stage .
Poor match so far
Every game I watched in the Munster championship has been enthralling. Outstanding hurling, especially from Cork. Why are there no black or Muslin hurling players?
Is Nash knackered?
Now Kevin, call it as it is ör we will…..l am Sirian sorry serious…
Clare are woeful