Atletico Madrid entertains PSV Eindhoven in front of a virtually empty Vicente Calderon Stadium on Wednesday night in the Champions League.
Atletico has to serve a UEFA punishment of playing the game without supporters in the ground following crowd incidents in their opening Champions League group game back in September.
Each side is allowed just 75 people in the ground, including players and coaches and the only other witnesses will be the accredited journalists covering the match for their respective media.
Atletico Madrid defender Luis Perea believes that UEFA has imposed the worst possible punishment on his side.
"I don't think they could have done anything worse for a footballer. It will be very odd to play without any people in the ground. I have done it once and it is a really bad feeling," he told the Atletico Madrid website.
"I would rather have to play in a ground with all of the fans against us than in an empty stadium. The supporters are what makes you feel as if you are a footballer and their support can be a great help when things are going against you in a game," he said.
However, with Atletico on top of Group D, level on eight points with Liverpool, Perea knows that a win over PSV, who are bottom of the group, would not only qualify his side for the next phase, but also give them a good chance of finishing as group winners.
"We know that we have to win to assure our place in the next round of the competition," he added.
Following a disappointing 1-1 draw against struggling Numancia last Sunday, Atletico coach Javier Aguirre was once again criticized for his conservative tactics.
The only player missing is the injured Antonio Lopez and Aguirre is almost certain to start with an attacking quartet of strikers Diego Forlan and Sergio Aguero, supported by wingers Simao Sabrosa and Maxi Rodriguez.
Source: Xinhua
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