"Atletico Madrid" head coach Diego Simeone participated in a press conference after a painful defeat against "Real Madrid" in the Champions League Round of 16 second leg and shared his thoughts on the game.
Simeone: "I want to talk about the team, not luck"
The Atletico coach expressed his pride in his team while commenting on the match:
- "I wouldn't talk about luck. I prefer to talk about how proud I am of our team and how they always fight. This process will be marked in history."
- "We had control throughout the game, and we had opportunities to increase the score. However, we lacked precise actions at the end of the combinations. The opponent had possession of the ball, but they couldn't create real goal-scoring opportunities."
- "At the same time, they couldn't convert the penalty, and I think we did an excellent job."
Alvares' penalty and referee's decision
Simeone also spoke about the penalty shootout and Julian Alvares' mistake:
- "Penalties in training are not the same as penalties in games. I didn't see the players' shots. It seems like Julian Alvares made contact with the ball when he took the shot [twice], and if the referee says so, then it is so."
"It wasn't easy for 'Real'"
Simeone emphasized that he was satisfied with his team's performance and that they always pose difficulties for "Real":
- "I am proud of my team. I think our fans enjoyed the game. 'Real' has always or almost always defeated us in the Champions League, but it is very difficult for them, very difficult."
"Atletico Madrid" once again missed the opportunity against "Real Madrid" in the Champions League, but the team presented a fighting performance to their fans. Diego Simeone expressed his confidence in his team, highlighting their determination and fighting spirit. "Real" advanced to the next stage, but "Atletico" posed considerable difficulties for the opponent in this match
