Carrick has insisted that Man Utd view Atletico with the same level of respect as Spanish giants Barcelona and Real. Speaking ahead of the European clash, the United manager highlighted the sustained excellence of the Colchoneros under their long-term leadership. Despite the trophy cabinets of the traditional “Big Two” being more populated, Carrick is under no illusions about the quality his side will face in the Spanish capital.
“What Atletico has achieved is extraordinary. It’s difficult to compare Atletico with Barcelona or Real Madrid because they have more titles, but when we face Atletico, we don’t treat them any differently. We consider them as good as any team in this competition and as dangerous as any in Europe. They have proven that for many years,” Carrick explained, as quoted by Marca.
