Simeone keen to renew acquaintances with Madrid

A big game lies ahead, said Diego Simeone with a touch of understatement, after the Madrid rivals were drawn together in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals, which will be their seventh and eighth meetings of this season and a rerun of last term's final. 

Draw analysis
• Real Madrid CF beat Club Atlético de Madrid 4-1 in last season's UEFA Champions League final in Lisbon, although it took a last-gasp equaliser from Sergio Ramos to cancel out Diego Godín's first-half opener and force extra time. Gareth Bale, Marcelo and Cristiano Ronaldo all scored in the 30 extra minutes to give Madrid a tenth European title.

• Madrid and Atlético have faced off six times already this term, in the Spanish Super Cup, Liga and Copa del Rey; Atlético won four of those encounters with two draws.

• This will be the sides' third European Cup tie, following last May's final and their 2-2 aggregate draw in the 1958/59 semi-finals; on that occasion, Madrid prevailed 2-1 in a replay after each team had won their home game.

• Atlético have won six and lost just two of their 11 other European matches against Spanish teams, including ousting FC Barcelona 2-1 on aggregate in last season's quarter-finals.

• Madrid's record in continental action against other Liga clubs is W5 D4 L2.

Reaction
Diego Simeone, Atlético coach
They are great opponents, as are the other seven clubs at this stage of the Champions League season. We will have a big game ahead.

Clemente Villaverde, Atlético managing director
Real Madrid were in the hat and we will face them again, making it eight times this season. When these things happen you just have to take it on the chin. Remembering what has been and gone doesn't help at all. We have to concentrate on this tie and give Madrid the respect they deserve. Football has no memory, it is lived day to day. It would be a mistake to think of our last few results against Madrid. All that matters is the here and now.

Emilio Butragueño, Madrid director
Atlético are a competitive side. We have faced each other a lot this season and know each other well. They're a side who know how to compete, they don't concede many goals, are good from set pieces and get the best out of every situation. We will see if we can beat them and come back for the semi-final draw. The Champions League is a different competition altogether. You never know if it's an advantage playing the second leg at home. We have to be at our best because we know exactly the difficulties that we're going to face. We need to be right on it if we want to go through.