'They judge us by tomorrow!' – Diego Simeone issues warning to Atletico Madrid despite six-game winning streak

Atletico Madrid travel to face German outfit Stuttgart at the MHP Arena on Matchday 3 of the UEFA Champions League. Diego Simeone's side enter the fixture on a six-match winning streak across all competitions, boosted by a 2-0 European victory over Manchester United and a 1-0 La Liga win at Espanyol.

Midfielder Alex Baena proved decisive once again at the weekend, scoring a magnificent late winner to take his seasonal tally to five goals and three assists in 11 appearances.

Despite their momentum, Simeone warned his squad against complacency against a Stuttgart team that has won both opening European fixtures.

Addressing the media in his pre-match press conference, Simeone insisted that past victories count for nothing once the whistle blows. "They'll quickly forget what they're praising and will judge us by what we do tomorrow," Simeone stated.

"We’re facing a tough match against a physically strong team, one that clearly understands the concept of pressing in the opponent’s half."

"They press man-to-man, and drop very deep when they have to defend," the Argentine manager added. "We'll have to take the game to where we think we can hurt them."

Atletico defender David Hancko underlined the squad's ambition to transform last season's near-misses into silverware. "Last season we came close to winning titles, both the Cup and the Champions League," Hancko reflected. "This year we want to go even further and win a title."

Meanwhile, Stuttgart top scorer Ermedin Demirovic, who has four Champions League goals this term, welcomed the arrival of the Spanish giants.

"We're playing against a real powerhouse," Demirovic noted. "The Champions League is a special competition... I can draw energy from it because I've already proven what's possible."

Tuesday's clash represents the first competitive meeting between Atletico Madrid and Stuttgart, with the Spanish club seeking only their second group stage or league phase win on German soil.

Stuttgart head coach Sebastian Hoeness acknowledged the scale of the challenge, observing: "Atletico are among the very best in European football... We want to test ourselves against them."

Simeone's men aim to harness Baena's attacking brilliance to claim three vital points and maintain their flawless winning run.