Atlético warming to UEFA Europa League task

Diego Godín and Paulo Assunção told UEFA.com they were eager for Club Atlético de Madrid's UEFA Europa League adventure to continue after a goal from Godín secured a 1-0 victory against S.S. Lazio and completed a 4-1 aggregate success – setting the 2009/10 winners up for a last-16 meeting with Beşiktaş JK.

Diego Godín, Atlético defender
The keys tonight were our organisation and attitude, things we have been showing in recent games. We found the spaces and looked to take advantage of our best chances so, on balance, tonight's result was fair. Our job was to defend the result we got in Rome and we achieved that. As a team, we are happy and full of confidence. We know that whatever team crosses our path from here on in will be difficult. We have to keep doing things well because as the tournament progresses things get harder and harder. We really like this competition, we feel comfortable playing in it and want to go as far as we can.

Paulo Assunção, Atlético midfielder
The game was a tough one but with the help of our supporters we managed to win and get through to the next round. [Atlético coach] Diego Simeone told us that Italian teams don't give up, that they keep battling until the end so we had to remain extremely focused in order to finish the match with a win. Our coach is a great support for us and we are getting stronger and stronger. In the next round, things will be tricky but we're playing good football right now. We'll be looking to treat each game like a final.

Álvaro Domínguez, Atlético defender
We treated this as an opportunity to put the tie to bed and we got the win in front of our supporters. Italian teams are very dangerous and wait to strike on the counterattack or from a dead-ball situation. Fortunately we defended well and we got the goal that killed the tie. We are on a very nice run now and we want to continue no matter what it takes. The next round awaits and there is no doubting it will be a hard one.

Edoardo Reja, Lazio coach
Atlético were better prepared for this game than we were, they haven't had the intense last three months we have had. Diego Simeone's side are a good one and they showed that in this tie. We've been a little unlucky because that first leg meant a comeback was always going to be difficult. Also, playing a game every three days with so many injuries was a factor. After the match all I could do was to offer my opposite number congratulations – he has changed the face of his team.

Hernanes, Lazio midfielder
We wanted to come here and defend the name of Lazio. In the first half we struggled a little and made some mistakes. We wanted to do much better in the second but conceded quite quickly. In any case, we lifted our heads after that setback but it wasn't to be. We hope our coach will stick with us because we have done well under him.