By R. Alexander Núñez
The elimination of Atlético de Madrid in the UEFA Champions League He left a direct message from his coach, Diego Pablo Simeonewho recognized the superiority of the rival after falling to the Arsenal in the semifinals, one step away from the final in Budapest. The Argentine coach avoided looking for excuses and focused his analysis on the performance of the English team.
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“If we are eliminated it is because the rival has done well to pass,” he expressed at a press conference, distancing himself from any referee controversy or external interpretation of the result.
The strategist also ruled out stopping at specific plays of the match. “I’m not going to stop at something very easy and easy like the move on Griezmann. I’m not going to stop there because that would be making excuses. I don’t feel like making excuses for anything,” he said.
Team stability and focus on growth
Beyond the defeat, Simeone assured that his team showed evolution during the match, especially in the second half. “I think the team gave everything. Today in the second half we improved a lot, we evolved to be better offensively and we had some situations that could have favored us that this time favored us,” he said.
The coach highlighted Atlético’s progress in the tournament, underlining the level of the rival and the competitiveness of his squad. “We arrived at a place where no one imagined and we arrived against a team that is incredible and with our weapons we compete very well“he added.
In his message, there was also space for gratitude. “I want to thank our people and our players. I feel proud to be where I am. In the preseason I said a few words and said that we would compete, and we competed. Unfortunately we didn’t win anything, but we reached places that are very difficult to reach.”he declared.
When asked about the club’s growth since his arrival in 2011, Simeone acknowledged the progress, although he made it clear that expectations have changed. “This gives you a reality that is the reality of the team as a club. It has grown enormously, it is a recognized club in Europe, as it was not before, but people want to win. It is not enough for people to reach the semifinals,” he explained.
Finally, he referred to the final minutes of the match, where Arsenal managed time to ensure their qualification. “It’s part of football. Arteta’s work is incredible. “I am happy for them because they deserve it,” he concluded.
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