Resino asks fans to keep Atlético faith

Club Atlético de Madrid had to wait 12 seasons before making their return to the UEFA Champions League last year. Back for another tilt at European glory, they will want to lay down an early marker of the strength of their challenge when they play host to competition debutants APOEL FC.

Quotes
Abel Resino, Atlético coach
I don't want to think about [Saturday's league match against] Barcelona before we have to play APOEL. We'll think about it on Wednesday. After two matches in the Spanish league without winning, my team needs confidence again. The supporters need to believe in the team again, and we'll do our best. We don't want to look back, and if the supporters are asking for more, that's good because it means that we are an important club. I want to send a message to the supporters: please, believe in our work, believe in us. We are going to compete everyday. I've talked to the doctor about Maxi [Rodríguez] and he is alright but injured because of the match with Argentina. I think Chelsea and Porto are the hardest opponents [in the group].

Ivan Jovanović, APOEL coach
We respect Atlético a lot. They are a great team; just look at how Resino's men beat Panathinaikos [5-2 on aggregate] in the qualifying round. But we are ready for an important match like this. We'll do our best and the only thing I'm worried about is the players that are not at my disposal. It's our first time playing in the UEFA Champions League and we are very excited. We beat København and Partizan in qualifying; two teams stronger than us, and now we are in a very difficult group with Chelsea, Atlético and Porto. For us it's an incredible experience and we are proud to be playing in this competition.

Key stats
• While Atlético have never before faced a team from Cyprus, APOEL have played six games against Spanish opposition, drawing two and losing four. Their worst defeat was an 8-0 reverse at RC Deportivo La Coruña in the 1995/96 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup first round second leg.

• Last season Atlético overwhelmed PSV Eindhoven on Matchday 1, running out 3-0 winners in the Netherlands with Sergio Agüero scoring twice in the first half and Maniche adding a third early in the second. At home they were unbeaten in their four games, winning two and drawing one in Group D before the draw with Porto.

• Atlético's Tomáš Ujfaluši played for the Czech Republic against Cyprus in a 4-3 friendly win on 13 February 2002 at Nicosia's GSP Stadium. He was also involved in a 1-0 victory for the Czechs against Cyprus in Liberec in a UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifier on 28 March 2007.

• Five members of the APOEL squad have previously played in Spain: Adrian Sikora (Real Murcia CF 2008/09), Kamil Kosowski (Cádiz CF 2008/09), Hélio Pinto (Sevilla FC B 2004/05) and Nenad Mirosavljević (Cádiz CF, 2004 to 2006).

Team news
• Atlético
Out: Raúl García (broken toe), Mariano Pernía (broken collarbone), Ignacio Camacho (hip),
Doubtful: Maxi Rodríguez (thigh)
Suspended: none
Misses next match if booked: none

• APOEL
Out: Nenad Mirosavljević (ankle)
Suspended: Nektarios Alexandrou serves a one-match ban
Misses next match if booked: none

Weekend results
12/09/09 Atlético 1-1 Real Racing Club Santander
(Jurado 43; Serrano 45)

12/09/09 APOEL 0-0 AEP Paphos FC

Did you know?
Atlético's Diego Forlán played at APOEL's GSP Stadium for Manchester United FC during the 2002/03 UEFA Champions League when the ground was being used by Israeli side Maccabi Haifa FC. Forlán's team lost 3-0.