Raul Garcia has warned his Atletico Madrid team-mates they can expect a hostile atmosphere when they go to Anfield to protect a 1-0 semi-final lead against Liverpool in the Europa League on Thursday (4/7 Liverpool 3/1 draw 9/2 Atletico Madrid – match betting).
Los Rojiblancos hold a slight advantage from last week’s first leg thanks to an early strike from Diego Forlan at the Vicente Calderon.
Liverpool appeared heavy-legged off the back of a gruelling trip to get the Spanish capital, caused by complications arising from the volcanic ash in Iceland, and struggled to get a foothold in a match that never really caught fire.
However, 23-year-old midfielder Raul Garcia expects Quique Sanchez Flores’ side will come under heavy pressure on Merseyside.
“Going to Anfield in a relaxed mood would be a huge mistake,” he said. “We know they are going to put us under a lot of pressure, a lot more than they did here. When they play at home they are a completely different side.”
One potential bonus for the La Liga side is that they will not have to contend with former Atletico hero Fernando Torres.
The Spain international will miss the rest of the season because of knee surgery and former Osasuna star Raul Garcia believes Liverpool will be weakened by his absence.
“When he is not there, his absence is felt throughout the team,” he said.
Atletico are bidding for a first major European title since they won the 1961/62 Uefa Cup Winners’ Cup (5/6 Atletico Madrid – To Qualify) and teenage goalkeeper David de Gea is convinced they can cause an upset.
The 19-year-old does not subscribe to the theory that Los Rojiblancos could suffer from stage fright on such an important night and has predicted they will relish the occasion.
“People talk very positively about the fans and the ground, so we have to enjoy it, but everyone from Atletico must give their maximum there to qualify for the next round,” he told uefa.com.
“Our fans are very excited. That is normal; we are in a semi-final. But we are taking it step by step. We have to fight for them, for the fans, to win a title after so many years.”
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