Barca, Atletico coaches promise effort ahead of Champions League quarter final

FC Barcelona coach Luis Enrique insisted his side were not going to the Vicente Calderon Stadium on Wednesday to defend a narrow 2-1 lead against Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Barca won the first leg by a narrow margin a week ago, but a 1-0 defeat would see them crash out of the competition, although Luis Enrique insisted his side would be positive away to their rivals.

"Our objective is to win the game," he said, adding that his side "had to make a great performance, there is no doubt about that."

"Atletico Madrid are playing at a very high level and they know us perfectly, but if I can guarantee anything, it is that my team will be up to the level and are going to compete."

Barca have dropped 8 points in their last three league games and all of a sudden their domestic and European titles are in doubt, but Luis Enrique tried to take the pressure off his players.

"I don' t have the feeling that this is the most important game of the season, we are going out to compete and the team is made for this kind of games," he concluded.

Earlier in the day, Atletico coach Diego Simeone said he didn' t expect Barca to be intimidated by the atmosphere in the Calderon, which will be packed with 55,000 fans.

"The game will be won by scoring a goal more than our rivals. The enthusiasm around the club is enormous, but the Barca players won' t be surprised by that," he said.

"We have to go about our game, the players have to respond as they always do and on the pitch we have to try and qualify for the semi-finals," continued the Atletico boss, who added that his side had, "prepared the game as they thought best."

"We want intensity and contact and Barca will play as they usually play their games. We know there are sides that play better football than us, but we are able to compete against then. To be part of Atletico is to never give anything up as lost and to fight to the end," he concluded. Endit