The Rojiblancos midfielder is refusing to consider Wednesday’s European clash with Real Madrid as a chance to exact vengeance on their rivals
Raul Garcia says Atletico Madrid are not seeking Champions League revenge in their quarter-final decider with Real Madrid on Wednesday.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men triumphed over the Rojiblancos in the tournament’s final last season, although Diego Simeone’s side have since beaten the European champions four times and held them to a draw on three occasions.
The tie is poised at 0-0 after the first leg at the Vicente Calderon last week and, ahead of the return fixture, Raul Garcia says Atletico refuse to let last campaign’s heartbreaking defeat in Lisbon weigh on their minds.
“We don’t live in the past,” the Spanish midfielder told AS. “Obviously we would have liked to win that final, but this is another duel, another season and we just think about that.
“The team is at an exceptional level and we’ll go with a positive mind-set to play at the Santiago Bernabeu.
“There is no need for any motivation to address these games. The fixture does that by itself. Every player lives for games like Wednesday’s.”
Antoine Griezmann has scored six goals in his last four Liga games but Raul Garcia thinks it’s the responsibility of the entire team to bolster their goalscoring chances against the Blancos.
“Griezmann’s recent goals are very important, as they have been throughout the season,” he added. “Everybody who plays is giving everything though but he in particular is adding to what we do.”