Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone says his team are arriving at next weekend's Champions League final against Real Madrid much better prepared than when the teams met in the decider two years ago.
In 2013-14, Atletico went to the Champions League final in Lisbon just a week after making a huge effort to win the La Liga title by drawing 1-1 at Barcelona, and with many key players, including Arda Turan and Diego Costa, far from 100 percent fit.
This year, Simeone's side were out of contention by the time the final La Liga weekend came around, and have had two weeks to prepare for the date in Rome on May 28 with a fully fit squad.
Speaking at the club's media open day at their Majadahonda training ground, the Colchoneros coach said that this year his team was arriving at the final "in the best possible condition."
"It is always fantastic to play a final, in three years we will play two, and that is very important," Simeone said. "But the situations are different, we reached that final having won the league, this time we have come third in a nice season.
"In Lisbon we had just played a final against Barcelona, and many players like Arda Turan and Diego Costa had problems. We hope [this time] to arrive in the best possible condition. It is great to be able to repeat the final.
"The expectations are very high, we are playing against an opponent with fantastic players, among the best three teams in the world. We will try and bring the game to the place where we are most comfortable, and feel more protected."
Atletico have reached this stage of the competition by being defensively strong and counter-attacking against previous favourites Barcelona and Bayern Munich in the previous rounds. However, Simeone said he expected the final to be different, as Real Madrid were likely to sit deep and look to play on the break themselves.
"I can see a Madrid team which plays the same as against Manchester City [in the semi-finals], waiting back," Simeone said. "Casemiro gives them defensive strength, and they play on the counter-attack, as they have done in all their Champions League games. We will play as we always do -- pressing as high as they let us, and playing an intense game."
Simeone predicted that his team would even have more of the ball and take the game to Madrid.
"We would play with the football, that is clear," he said. "You must play football, there is no other option. Apart from the styles of play, in the Champions League you can see clearly what Madrid have chosen.
"City were not able to deal with the pace in [Madrid's] attack. They played a very good tactical game, and they will play very similarly. We have our own style, which we have renewed, a different style. It is fantastic. Our style is renewal."
Simeone praised the work Blancos coach Zinedine Zidane has done with the team after replacing Rafa Benitez in January, particularly in getting the best out of their Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema strikeforce.
"I want to congratulate him on the work he is doing," the former Argentina midfielder said. "It is fabulous, he came in during a difficult moment, you can see the players like him and you can see that in their play.
"He has recovered their spirit, their pace in attack, and is better able to take advantage of their three forwards. He makes them relaxed to compete and they came second in La Liga, and obviously reaching the Champions League final is an important step."
Asked about Atletico's young midfielder Saul Niguez, who this week ended speculation about a big-money summer transfer by signing a new long-term contract, Simeone said he expected the 21-year-old to keep improving and aiming higher.
"[Saul] is having a great season, he is improving a lot," he said. "He has worked so much to get to this place. I hope his mental strength makes him not just settle for anything."
Simeone would not say whether Jose Maria Gimenez or Stefan Savic would partner Diego Godin in the centre of the Atletico defence in Milan.
"Gimenez, Savic, Godin and Lucas [Hernandez], any of the four would be very good to have," he said. "They are coming from playing a very good season. That is why we have such [good] defensive statistics."
Of star forward Antoine Griezmann, the Argentine coach added: "[Griezmann] has worked very hard, pushed himself and knows how to listen. The best way to improve in any job is to listen. Without doubt he is one of the best three players in the world."