Atletico Madrid coach Quique Sanchez Flores was realistic while discussing the fitness of his players on Monday ahead of the European Supercup Final.
As the winners of last season's Europa League, Atletico Madrid will take on the Champions League holders Inter Milan in Monaco on Friday night in a game Quique views as forming part of last season, rather than the opening game of the new campaign.
"The Supercup is the epilogue of what we did last year. Our new season kicks off on the Monday night when we play Sporting Gijon. The Supercup is a prize that we earned and we have to play it. We worked hard to get here and this is our reward, however, we can't allow it to affect us, whatever the result," said the Atletico Madrid coach.
With several players having played major roles in this summer's World Cup finals, Quique admitted that some members of his squad were not as fit as he would like them to be, but he insisted that Uruguayan striker Diego Forlan was in his plans.
"Forlan is fine, he' s made a lot of progress in the past few days," he said.
However, the Atletico coach added that new signing Thiago Cardoso would not be fit in time to play in the game.
"He is not going to make it because he's just not at the physical level that we need to play in a European Supercup final. It's the downside that comes as a result of the negotiations having gone on for so long, but its not the end of the World because we have got other excellent midfield players at the club," commented the Atletico coach.
Quique also said that the Italians are now under the guidance of former Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez but have already started the new season by beating Roma to win the Italian Supercup.
"They are very solid, very physical. We have to be solid ourselves, compete for everything and don't lose our concentration," he said.