Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone relishes the reunion with his former club Inter Milan in the Champions League Round of 16.
Monday’s draw pitted the Argentine against his former employers. He played for the Nerazzurri for two years between 1997 and 1999.
Simeone was also a teammate of Inter manager Simone Inzaghi at Lazio. The two men share an amicable rapport, as the Italian revealed earlier today.
The Colchoneros beat Lazio to finish on top of the group while the Nerazzurri ended up as runners-up after settling for a draw with Real Sociedad.
This set the stage for a meeting between the Spanish capital side and Inter in the Round of 16.
Simeone admitted that this will be a special occasion for him as he still has fond memories of his time at San Siro.
The 53-year-old also heaps praise on Inter’s current form, revealing himself as an admirer of their brand of football.
“We know that the Champions League will always be complicated and all your opponents can cause you difficulties,” said the Argentine during his pre-match press conference ahead of his team’s fixture against Getafe via FcInterNews.
“Inter are extraordinary at the moment. They did very well in the Champions League. I like how they play.
“I still have some wonderful memories of my experience in Milano.”
Atletico Madrid Manager Diego Simeone Hails Inter Milan’s Extraordinary Form
The Beneamata will host the first leg at the Giuseppe Meazza on February 20th. The return fixture will ensue at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid.
Inter won Europe’s elite club competition on three occasions in the past with the most recent being in 2010.
The Nerazzurri were the runners-up of the previous edition after falling just short in the final against Man City.
