Luis Garcia: The Champions League owes it to Atletico, they deserve to win

The Colchoneros have come up short in two finals in the last three seasons but the Spaniard sees no reason why his old club can’t go one step further this term

EXCLUSIVE

Luis Garcia believes Atletico Madrid are more than capable of winning the Champions League this season and has joked they are “owed” one, having valiantly come up short in two finals in three years.

Atletico defied the odds to reach the 2014 and 2016 finals respectively but they were beaten on both occasions by fierce rivals Real.

The Colchoneros are already nine points behind Real in La Liga but have made a sensational start to this season’s Champions League, having won all five group games including a 1-0 victory over Bayern Munich.

Many believe, therefore, that Europe’s elite club competition represents Atleti’s best chance of obtaining silverware this term and Luis Garcia sees no reason why his old club can’t get their hands on the trophy.

“I don’t see why they cannot go on to win a Champions League,” Garcia, who was in Delhi to watch a screening of Saturday’s El Clasico organised by La Liga, told Goal.

“They have made a place as one of the three top teams in La Liga as well. No one was expecting them to go all the way to the final last season, leaving all the big teams like Barcelona, Bayern behind.

“They did that again in 2014. So I feel confident that they will do it again. The 2014 loss must have been the hardest one. But last year as well they played very well but couldn’t get it. I feel the Champions League owes one cup to Atletico!”

Atletico travel to face Bayern in their final Group D affair on Tuesday as they look to make it six wins from as many fixtures in European competition this season.

Diego Simeone’s men have already secured top spot with Bayern second on nine points.