Atlético Madrid defender David Hancko attended the pre-match press conference ahead of the Champions League fixture alongside manager Simeone. On matchday, the rojiblancos will host Manchester United, and the Slovak defender emphasized the difficulty of the encounter.

What has the team been saying since learning the Champions League final will be held at the Metropolitano Stadium?

Last season we came very close to reaching the final, so it would be great if we could achieve it this season. But that's still a long way off; we need to stay calm. Reaching the final is very difficult, and we must keep accumulating points in the group stage. Thinking this way will give us confidence. If we could play the final at our home stadium, it would be an incredible experience, but that's still very far away.

Is it necessary to manage the pressure?

It's good that we were able to win after the international break and maintain our excellent form. Pablo (Barrios) and Sørloth have recovered, so we have the full squad available. The first four Champions League matches are very important, and home games are crucial. We hope to win this encounter.

Is the pre-season match against Manchester United useful as a reference point?

I know we lost that match, which certainly wasn't the ideal result, but we had many players absent in that encounter; all the internationals who participated in the World Cup didn't play. Tomorrow will be very different. We're in good form, and the lessons learned from that pre-season match will play an important role, especially in the first half, where we fully experienced their style and the strength of their players. The key tomorrow is that we perform better than they do. We know how strong they are in duels and their running capacity. Their attack is very strong, and we must be able to create chances to pose a threat to them.

The arrivals of Grimaldo and Cristian Romero have strengthened the defense.

The team is stronger than last season, which is evident in the depth of the squad. The arrivals of Cuti (Cristian Romero) and Grimaldo have improved our defense. With Alejandro (Grimaldo), we now have a fullback with great offensive capability who always helps in attack and has improved the team's performance. His contributions are also reflected in goals; our two goals in the last match were scored by defenders.

It's great to play with Cuti, who has a wealth of experience playing abroad. He's calm on the ball, very strong in duels, and we know he likes long passes. I prefer to run and position myself, and we work very well together.

Do you think Manchester United is still a European giant?

Sometimes they play in the Champions League, sometimes they don't, but last season they finished third in the Premier League, which is the best league in the world, and they have a lot of money. These teams are capable of signing very good players. Manchester United performed well last season. Although they had a slow start this season, they have excellent players. We consider them a giant, a very strong team, but we don't know who the favorite is for this match. We only care about performing at our best tomorrow and treating it like a knockout match. Playing against Manchester United will never be easy, but we hope to get a good result.

Traducido por IA.

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