Atletico Madrid’s manager, Diego Simeone, conveyed his pride in the team’s journey to the Champions League semi-finals, despite their eventual defeat to Arsenal. Simeone suggested that his team may have been denied a crucial penalty and felt they were somewhat limited in their resources.
A significant factor in Atletico Madrid’s elimination was their struggle to capitalize on scoring opportunities. Simeone regretted that the team didn’t secure a lead to take to the Emirates Stadium in the first leg.
“If we were eliminated, it’s because our opponent deserved to advance. They were clinical in the first half and earned their place,” Simeone stated. “But what I feel is tranquility, peace; the team gave everything they had. We could have won the first match in the second half, but we weren’t as decisive as the game demanded. Today, we improved defensively in the first half, but we offered little offensively.”
He continued, “We improved in the second half, creating a few chances that could have gone our way, but they didn’t, and we reached a place no one expected. We competed against an incredibly powerful team, and with our own strengths, we fought as hard as we could. I’m grateful to our fans, our players, and I’m proud to be where I am. I said in the stadium during preseason that we were going to compete, and we did. Unfortunately, we didn’t win anything, that’s true, but we reached places that aren’t easy to reach.”
Griezmann Penalty Appeal Deemed ‘Very Clear’
A contentious moment in the match involved a challenge on Gabriel Magalhaes, which many believed should have resulted in a penalty for Antoine Griezmann. Simeone commented on the incident:
“I’m not going to dwell on something as simple and easy as the play involving Griezmann. It’s very clear, and we understand that it was a foul by Pubill on one of their players. We believe he was correct in that situation. I’m not going to dwell on it because that would be making excuses, and I don’t want to make excuses for anything.”
Beyond missed chances, Simeone highlighted that “little details” did not favor Atletico Madrid.
“In the first leg, we had chances to score and didn’t take them. Here, in the second half, we improved, we got more into the game, we played in their half, and we created opportunities. All those little details that sometimes go our way, this time they didn’t go our way.”
Simeone Hints at Resource Constraints
Simeone also alluded to Arsenal’s significantly larger budget and, by implication, Atletico’s more limited resources.
“It’s part of football; we all know that when those minutes arrive, we want time to pass quickly. Arteta’s work is incredible, and they have significant financial resources that reflect the work they do. I’m happy for them; they deserve it, they’ve been working very well.”
“I said no [I don’t have the strength to continue] today. It gives me a reality, which is the reality of Atletico as a club: it has grown enormously in every aspect, a club recognised throughout Europe and the world in a way it wasn’t before. But people want to win; reaching the final isn’t enough for them.”
He reiterated his thoughts on Arsenal’s resources in a conversation with Movistar+, as reported by Diario AS:
“There’s nothing more to say. We’re out. We congratulate Arsenal; they competed well. They have a team and a manager I like. They follow a consistent approach, with significant financial resources that allow them to compete like this. Congratulations. We’ll continue with our work, without dwelling on a detail that’s so obvious.”
Simeone Expresses Gratitude to Atletico Madrid Fans
Following the match, Simeone was observed encouraging the traveling supporters.
“To our fans and our players. We had a very good Champions League run, we gave our all and went much further than was generally expected. It’s a shame. We deserved to at least allow ourselves extra time in the first leg and today, which could have given us a better chance.”
“Total gratitude. We competed incredibly well against Barcelona in the quarter-finals and against Arsenal in the semi-finals. And that’s thanks to their effort. I hope our fans give Antoine the boost he’s earned in these last few matches. Koke was incredible, a masterclass in how to play football at his age. On how to take responsibility on the ball, to show personality. And I’m grateful to the team. When the players give their all, when they compete, we want to win, but it’s not enough.”
This result effectively concludes Atletico Madrid’s season, marking their return to the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in nine years. While reaching this stage was a success, the unfulfilled aspiration of reaching a final will likely linger for Atletico fans, who demonstrated they could compete with their opponent.