Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has praised his side’s competitive season this season despite their Copa Del Rey semifinal exit to Barcelona.
Hansi Flick’s side progressed 5-4 on aggregate after defeating the Rojiblancos 1-0 on Tuesday night at the Wanda Metropolitano, despite an entertaining 4-4 draw in the first leg.
Spain international Ferran Torres scored the only goal of the game after an exquisite through ball from teenage sensation Lamine Yamal in the 27th minute.
Speaking after the match, Simeone was full of commendation for his team despite their recent slump which has also seen them fall behind in the Laliga title race.
He said:”Here’s what I think: the team, up to now, has competed well.
We competed well in the Champions League, we competed well in the Copa, and in the league we’re having a good season. We’ll keep going, trying to keep improving to get closer to the teams above us, and accepting the place that we have”, he added.
Atletico Madrid were top of the standings in January but a run of three victories in their last ten league matches has seen them drop to third, nine points behind Barcelona and six points behind Real Madrid.
Simeone’s side were also eliminated in the UCL Round of 16 by their city rivals after a controversial decision to rule out a spot kick by Argentine forward Julian Alvarez in the shootout.
“In football, sometimes the opponent is better,” Simeone continued. “In the second half, we corrected things, and we could have made it a draw. We competed well, against a team that plays well… They’re a great opponent, who at times will be superior to you.”
Atletico Madrid will hope to bounce back from their cup disappointment when they face Sevilla in the Spanish Laliga on Sunday.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
