Diego Simeone insists Cristiano Ronaldo is a “goal animal” and explained why the Juventus forward is so difficult to stop.
Simeone’s Atletico Madrid host Ronaldo’s Juve in the Champions League group stage on Wednesday.
The sides met last season in the last 16, with Ronaldo’s hat-trick in Turin turning the tie in the Old Lady’s favour.
And Simeone has hailed the Portuguese’s prowess and multiple ways in which he presents problems for his side.
“It’s difficult to play against him,” Simeone said. “He is a goal animal. He has achieved tremendous records.
“He has good aerial play, he has a great shot, he’s able to find spaces.
“Any situation close to the area, he generates danger. We have suffered against him.”
While one of Ronaldo’s direct opponents on Wednesday, Jose Maria Gimenez, has insisted the way to stop the 34-year-old is to stick to the game plan of stopping Maurizio Sarri’s side collectively.
“He is a great striker, he has shown it in the past and continues to do so,” Gimenez said. “But we are not focusing solely on Cristiano.
“In order for the ball to reach him, it first has to go through other players.
“You give Ronaldo half a chance and he scores. We have to limit him. The important thing is that we play well in all of our lines.”
