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Fernando Torres: 'Atletico Madrid success down to Diego Simeone'

Fernando Torres insists that Diego Simeone "is responsible" for Atletico Madrid's upturn in fortunes over the past five years.

Atletico Madrid striker Fernando Torres has hailed the "amazing" work achieved by Diego Simeone so far at the club on the eve of Saturday's Champions League final.

Simeone has helped Atleti to five trophies since taking charge in 2011, and has a chance to make it six this weekend when taking on city rivals Real Madrid.

Torres claims that Los Rojiblancos' success over the past five years is purely down to the fiery Argentine, but admits that his side will have to be at their very best at San Siro if they are to earn revenge over Real by lifting the European crown.

"He's great. I think what he has done in the last four or five years is amazing," Torres told BT Sport. "He takes a club with doubts, a club where no one really knew which direction to follow and he created a winning team.

"A great group of players, a fantastic unity and all together he showed the world even if you are at a disadvantage against the greatest teams in the world you can compete against them and maybe you can beat all of them. We have played against some of the best teams in Europe this season in the Champions League.

"We beat them and now we have in front of us the most difficult game of all, because it's only one game against a team who are used to play to finals so we have the opportunity to win the Champions League, beating all the champions in Europe. That will be something fantastic and Simeone is responsible for that."

Simeone's success at the Vicente Calderon includes a La Liga title, the Copa del Rey, the Spanish Super Cup, the Europa League and the European Super Cup.

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Antoine Griezmann celebrates in the air after scoring the opener during the Champions League quarter-final between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona on April 13, 2016
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