Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has conceded that his team is inferior to Wednesday’s opponent in the UEFA Champions League Manchester United.

The La Liga champions and the Red Devils clash in the round of sixteen first leg matches at the Wanda Metropolitano on Wednesday.

Simeone’s side has been inconsistent of late, especially in the La Liga, where they recently lost to the league’s bottom-placed Levante 1-0 at home as well as a 4-2 loss to Barcelona.

However, their last game against Osasuna was a 3-0 success away from home, giving them their third win in eight matches.

Meanwhile, Manchester United has only lost a single in ninety minutes from ten matches they have played in 2022 while the other loss came in the penalty shootout loss to Middleborough in the FA Cup.

Nevertheless, the Red Devils have not been overly spectacular under Ralf Rangnick with two wins in four matches while the other two have been 1-1 draws against Southampton and Burnley.

Simeone still sees the English side as the one in a better shape for Wednesday’s clash even though his team is also prepared for them

“I see [United] as being stronger, more compact. They’re an important rival with a strong defensive capacity and an ability in the air. It’s hard to find areas where they make mistakes. But I always prepare for matches studying the strength of our rivals and looking to find the way to hurt them.” Simeone said.

Meanwhile, Villarreal held Juventus to a 1-1 draw at the Estadio La Ceramica on Tuesday evening. The Italians led as early as the first minute with January signing from Fiorentina Dusan Vlahovic opening the scoring his second goal in five matches since joining in January.

Villarreal could only equalize in the second half of the game through 32-year old Dani Parejo in the 66th minute.

The second leg will be played On the sixteenth of March after the Yellow Submarines would have played Espanyol, Osasuna, and Celta Vigo in the La Liga.

Written by: Daniel Ademiju Idowu