Atletico meet Real at the Santiago Bernabeu tomorrow night for the first-leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie.
Simeone insists the occasion will be a great moment for Spanish football.
Another derby:
“It is a match with a lot of respect, against a great rival. I understand that they respect us in the same way. If it were a team from another league we would not touch on these issues. For the city it is spectacular. For Spain, to be able to have a Spanish team participate in the quarterfinals... And for us who are going to play, to enjoy it. It is a very important moment, with a rival we respect a lot.”
Is there a favourite?
“I don’t understand the word ‘favourite’. We are facing a rival that we respect. We know our strengths, we play to their full potential and we will try to take the match to a place where we can hurt them.”
The keys:
“A match of this calibre is full of details, both Madrid and we already know the ties and yes, the details are decisive.”
Julian Alvarez's limit?
"We don't know, he's very young, he has room for improvement and hopefully we can help him continue to grow."
What do you feel?
“A lot of excitement, as if it were the first day at Atlético, with the desire I had when I arrived, to take it to an important place, respecting its values, its history. We have to enjoy these moments.
“I have always put Barcelona and Madrid in their place because of the history they have. We are pure growth, which is very nice.”
Liga or Champions League?
"I see what I have to do now, I can't think about La Liga because there are still games left. I'm focusing on tomorrow."
Madrid in the Champions League:
“There is history, and Madrid's in the Champions League is extraordinary. Tomorrow we will surely have a new opportunity.”