'Goal animal' Ronaldo has Simeone on high alert

INA – SOURCES

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone has called Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo a "goal animal" ahead of Wednesday's Champions League opener between the sides.

Ronaldo, Real Madrid's all-time goal scorer, scored a hat trick against Atletico to help Juve overturn a 2-0 first-leg deficit and reach the quarterfinals of the competition last season.

"It's difficult to play against him," Simeone told a news conference when asked about Ronaldo. "He is a goal animal. He has achieved tremendous records. He has good aerial play, he has a great shot, he's able to find spaces ... any situation close to the area, he generates danger. We have suffered against him."

"He is a great striker, he has shown it in the past and continues to do so," Atletico defender Jose Maria Gimenez said. "But we are not focusing solely on Cristiano. In order for the ball to reach him, it first has to go through other players.

"You give Ronaldo half a chance and he scores. We have to limit him. The important thing is that we play well in all of our lines."