Simeone: Our league form on the road is behind us ahead of Stuttgart clash

Diego Simeone has stressed that Atletico Madrid's impressive away form in LaLiga is now in the past ahead of their Champions League meeting with Stuttgart.

Atletico have made a strong start to the league campaign, collecting 22 points from their opening nine matches, yet they still sit five points behind leaders Barcelona. Simeone's side head into the game buoyed by a 1-0 win over Espanyol, sealed by Alex Baena's 89th-minute goal. That result gave the Madrid club a fourth victory from their first five league away games.

The Spanish side's only defeat on the road in the league this season came against Athletic Club (3-0) on 5 September, while they were beaten by Liverpool in the opening round of the Champions League.

Atletico have lost each of their last five Champions League visits to German opposition, and overall they have been beaten on eight of their last nine trips to Germany (W1). The lone exception in that run was a 4-2 last-16 victory over Bayer Leverkusen in February 2017.

The Spanish side have also failed to win their third group/league phase match in the Champions League since a 1-0 victory over Leverkusen in the 2019-20 season, losing on matchday three in four of the last six seasons (D2). Simeone is aiming to end that poor sequence against Stuttgart.

Atletico, who beat Manchester United 2-0 on matchday two, have not kept back-to-back clean sheets in Europe's elite competition since February 2020. The Argentine coach expects a stern test for his side against a Stuttgart team who have won both of their opening European fixtures.

Speaking before the game, Simeone said: "Honestly, I have forgotten everything that came before. The things they are praising today will be forgotten very quickly, and we will be judged on the performance we put in on the pitch tomorrow. We are facing a tough game against a side who are extremely strong physically, who understand pressing in the opposition half very well, who almost always play man-to-man and who drop very deep when they have to defend."

The most notable absentee from Atletico's travelling squad for Germany was Cristian Romero. The defender, signed from Tottenham, was not risked because of a muscle injury, while club captain Koke was also left out of the squad.

Addressing Romero's absence, Simeone said: "Cuti's importance is beyond question, but what makes us strong is the team as a whole. We will never compromise on that philosophy; the team always comes before individuals."

Atletico Madrid, who have yet to lift the Champions League trophy, lost the 2013-14 and 2015-16 finals to Real Madrid. Defender David Hancko, part of the side knocked out in the semi-finals last season, believes that experience will boost their chances this year.

Hancko said: "The clearest feeling we took from last season was that we came very close to major success, in both the cup and the Champions League. We know what it feels like to go all the way to the top and not get our hands on the trophy. But now we are turning that experience to our advantage."