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Atletico Madrid: UCL atmosphere at Juventus will be like a final

Atletico Madrid midfielder Koke says that already being qualified makes no difference to his side's ambition to beat Juventus in Tuesday's final Champions League group game.

Group A leaders Atletico have already made the last 16, and their 1-0 home win in the reverse fixture means they can afford to lose by a single goal and still clinch top spot.

Juve need one more point to ensure qualification, and could be eliminated should they lose and Olympiakos win at home to Malmo in the group's other final match.

These permutations mean the pressure is off Atletico coming into the game, but the Spanish champions' home-grown midfielder told his prematch news conference that the impressive surrounds of the redeveloped Juventus Stadium would help his team be at their best.

"Playing in this stadium, with this atmosphere, is something special," Koke said. "We hope that it is a beautiful day and that we can get the win. Each match, we take the field to win, we have always done so and it's what we're going to do tomorrow."

Koke, 22, said he and his fellow Colchoneros midfielders were looking forward to the challenge of facing up to Juve's Andrea Pirlo, Claudio Marchisio, Paul Pogba and Arturo Vidal in the battle for control of the centre of the pitch.

"We already saw it at the Calderon, although Pirlo, who is a great footballer, was missing," he said. "We also have strong people, people who run and fight, and it's going to be a very nice, very intense game and we will have to give all that we have to get the victory."

Atletico coach Diego Simeone told his news conference that the pressure would be on Juventus, who were looking to avoid last year's failure to get out of the group stage.

"Tomorrow we will face an atmosphere like a final," Simeone said. "Juventus didn't go through last year so it's very, very important for them. We're up against a side who need a big performance. They are under pressure and obliged to go through. I expect Juventus at their best, like in their best times, as they need to play a great match and not be knocked out from the Champions League. I expect a big night in which we need to respond well."

Despite dominating domestically in recent seasons, Juventus have not impressed in the Champions League -- with no semifinal appearance in the last decade.

Bianconeri centre-forward Alvaro Morata told Al Primer Toque that the high-profile final group game was a chance for his team to show they were back as a European force again.

"We have a chance now to put our name in Europe again, to send a message that Juventus is back," Morata said. "We are playing at home and we know that there we can beat any team. The fans will give everything, there are few stadiums in Spain which are like ours will be tomorrow."

The former Real Madrid player praised how Atletico had come to the fore in recent times under Simeone's management.

"With Simeone they have achieved incredible things for some years," Morata said. "Every summer important players leave, but they make a very competitive team again. Atletico have many options... they can do you damage in the air, with team moves, with midfielders breaking forward, set-pieces, their full-backs are also very attacking."