Diego Simeone rallies Atletico Madrid fans for 'unimaginable' Club Brugge battle

The first leg match between Club Brugge and Atletico Madrid ended in a 3-3 draw on 18 February.

The Atletico manager admitted the contest could take unexpected turns.

"The match could be unimaginable because you have an idea of what might happen, but obviously it doesn't always turn out that way and you have to adapt to what happens during the game," Simeone said.

He made it clear that the fans would play a crucial role on the night.

"We're going to approach the game in a way that we believe will hurt them. We need our fans, we need them to be close to the team. That energy they give us feeds us, and we have to give it back to them with hard work, with football, with our play."

Simeone confirmed that Alexander Sorloth and Julian Alvarez could lead the line together. "Yes, they are compatible. They have already played a lot of games together. They are compatible for tomorrow and for any other game."

He also admitted Atletico must rediscover their defensive strength to complement their attacking progress.

"The team has evolved a lot in that aspect, but we need to recover our defensive side. It isn't so bad in La Liga, but we're far from where we should be. We're always looking for that balance."

Simeone praised club leaders Antoine Griezmann and Koke, calling them "club legends" who remain vital whether they play 20 or 90 minutes.

On Brugge, he added: "They are brave, they move well, they have a lot of young players and a very good coach. It has never been an easy game against them."

Simeone insisted he was focused only on performance, not pressure. "I'm thinking about playing the game. When one thing or the other happens, I'll answer you."