Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone says they want to take seriously their Europa League clash with FC Copenhagen.

Simeone concedes it's difficult to be out of the Champions League.

"I don't look beyond the game tomorrow," the Argentine told reporters. "My mind and enthusiasm are focused on the game that lies ahead, and making my players think the same.

"The rest is in our imagination. We live in reality, not in our thoughts, and reality is what is going to happen tomorrow.

"Just as we have faced European ties in the same way for the past seven years, we will face the Europa League. We will go game by game until we are stopped, that is the reality we have ahead.

"With enthusiasm and against a competitive team, we will have to take the match to where it suits us best.

"It will be difficult, with a lot of atmosphere in their stadium. I played there with Lazio and they have a lot of passion, they play a very good passing game."