Lazio coach Maurizio Sarri says he faces Atletico Madrid tomorrow full of respect for Diego Simeone.

Lazio open their Champions League group campaign against Atletico.

Sarri said: "In a press conference in Naples I said that my way of seeing football was different, but I had great respect for Simeone. With his way of playing he did well in Spain and in Europe, I confirm my respect.

"We have to look game by game, we don't have to think about individual events. We have problems to solve, but in the last two we have also taken some steps forward. Now we have to take a decisive step, it is clear that against strong teams there are opportunities and risks."

He also said: "What I regret is that we concede goals easily. Avoidable situations and 54 balls played in the area in the last game without anything concrete happening. Tomorrow we have to play against Atlético and we have to get a result, I don't know if it is the best time to face them."

Sarri also commented on Ciro Immobile and Matteo Guendouzi's form going into the clash.

"Immobile has the destiny of great strikers. A player you can't do without when he scores, criticised when he doesn't score: this is the destiny of players accustomed to scoring 30 goals a season.

"The team must help him more and he must go deeper. There will be the possibility of seeing the two midfielders together. It is impossible to see Guendouzi as a playmaker, he does not have the characteristics that you need. Now a reaction is needed, great sacrifices have been made to reach the Champions League."