Atletico Madrid star explains what makes Liverpool “incredible” ahead of Champions League clash

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Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez has spoken about taking on Liverpool in their Champions League clash this evening.

In what should be one of the most intriguing ties of the round, the reigning European Champions travel to the very stadium in which they won last season’s final against Tottenham to take on Diego Simeone’s side – a team with a history of upsetting the big boys and over-achieving in this competition.

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Saul insists he and his Atletico team-mates have a plan to beat this in-form Liverpool side, who have been unstoppable in the Premier League this season to race 25 points clear at the top.

It won’t be easy for Saul and co. to bring the Reds down a peg or two, and the Spain international admits he’s in awe of some of the “incredible” things Jurgen Klopp’s side do on the pitch.

Most notably, Saul singled out the way they press like “animals” and how everything seems so well-orchestrated and planned.

“Klopp said they play with their heart, but it’s planned too. One breaks out to press, wild, but they follow,” Saul told the Guardian.

“It’s very hard to escape when they come at you like that. It’s incredible. They press like animals, because they know that even if they get turned there will be seven of them running like mad to get back.

“Liverpool are very complete, a great team in every area [but] they find it hardest when you’re deep because they’re very, very, very good in transition.

“I watched them against Norwich and if it wasn’t for [Sadio] Mane’s extraordinary control, they don’t win.

“They’ve won lots of games they could have drawn or lost, which tells you something about what they have inside. It’s not luck. It’s work, sacrifice, not giving up a single ball for lost.”

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