- Title: SPAIN: FOOTBALL/ SOCCER: Atletico Madrid qualify for Champions League.
- Date: 26th August 2009
- Summary: MADRID, SPAIN (AUGUST 25, 2009) (REUTERS) ATLETICO COACH ABEL RESINO ARRIVING AT NEWS CONFERENCE RESINO SEATED AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ATLETICO COACH ABEL RESINO SAYING: "Today it wasn't a priority to play a great game. It was simply to, our first priority was to go through the league. There were moments where we were a little dense. We lacked a little fluidity, particularly at times when we needed to pass the ball. But in general terms the game was a serious one. Not brilliant but we played seriously which is what is important." JOURNALISTS AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ATLETICO COACH ABEL RESINO SAYING: "We have a squad we are happy with. With regards to that we are very calm. But if there is a player who becomes available and we can go after him then we could try and get him." JOURNALISTS AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ATLETICO COACH ABEL RESINO SAYING: "We have gone through well in this Champions. I liked the way way the team has been competing. And we are in good shape. Now we have to continue to be stable and above all that regularity which was lacking in some phases of the championship last year." JOURNALIST AT NEWS CONFERENCE RESINO LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE ATLETICO MADRID SIGN ON THE WALL PANATHINAIKOS COACH HENK TEN CATE ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE TEN CATE AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PANATHINAIKOS COACH HENK TEN CATE SAYING: "In this eliminatory round we had everything against us. The bad luck with the draw. Bad luck with both matches. And I think we have demonstrated that we have a very good team that can play along side the best like Atletico." JOURNALISTS AT NEWS CONFERENCE/ TEN CATE AT CONFERENCE JOURNALISTS TEN CATE LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 10th September 2009 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Spain
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVA6D4P44VF5Z55D4GA2EHCPF01L
- Story Text: Atletico Madrid of Spain book their place in Thursday's draw for the Champions League group stages, beating Greek side Panathinaikos 2-0 at home for a 5-2 aggregate victory.
Spain's Atletico Madrid saw off Greek side Panathinaikos on Tuesday (August 25), winning 2-0 at home for a 5-2 aggregate victory. Panathinaikos, who reached the round of 16 last season, had Djibril Cisse sent off.
After the match at Madrid's Vicente Calderon stadium, Atletico coach Abel Resino said the priority for the team was to qualify.
"Today it wasn't a priority to play a great game. It was simply to, our first priority was to go through the league. There were moments where we were a little dense. We lacked a little fluidity, particularly at times when we needed to pass the ball. But in general terms the game was a serious one. Not brilliant but we played seriously which is what is important," Resino told journalists.
When asked if the club was considering going after Real Madrid player Wesley Sneijder, Resino did not discard the possibility.
"We have a squad we are happy with. With regards to that we are very calm. But if there is a player who becomes available and we can go after him then we could try and get him," he said.
Real Madrid had been in talks to transfer Sneijder to Inter Milan but the player refused to hold negotiations with the Italian club, local media reported.
Resino also said he saw a new stability in the team and would focus on maintaining it during this season's competition.
"We have gone through well in this Champions. I liked the way way the team has been competing. And we are in good shape. Now we have to continue to be stable and above all that regularity which was lacking in some phases of the championship last year," he said.
Atletico de Madrid had defeated Panathinaikos on Wednesday (August 19) in Athens in the first leg of the third round of the classification for the Champions League.
Panathinaikos coach, Ten Cate, said the team had played well but had been unlucky.
"In this eliminatory round we had everything against us. The bad luck with the draw. Bad luck with both matches. And I think we have demonstrated that we have a very good team that can play along side the best like Atletico," he told journalists.
However Ten Cate refused to comment on Djibril Cisse's sending off saying he had not been able to observe closely what happened. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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