Simeone: Atlético eliminating extraordinary Barça really moves me

MADRID, SPAIN - APRIL 14: Diego Pablo Simeone, head coach of Atletico de Madrid, reacts during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Quarter-Final Second Leg match between Atletico de Madrid and FC Barcelona at Riyadh Air Metropolitano on April 14, 2026, in Madrid, Spain. (Photo By Dennis Agyeman/Europa Press via Getty Images) | Europa Press via Getty Images Atlético Madrid coach Diego Simeone was a man of many emotions after the final whistle gave his side a 3-2 aggregate win over Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal on Tuesday night at the Metropolitano. “Phew, it’s been 14 years, and honestly, seeing the team still competing really moves me,” a jubilant Simeone reflected in his post-match comments.

“The players have changed, we’ve had to start over countless times, and here we are again among the top four in Europe. “We faced a team that plays extraordinarily well, with incredible speed. They’re hard to contain, we put in a huge effort after going down 0-2, despite individual mistakes and we managed to get back into the game and stay calm.

Then the 1-2 was a great goal,” Simeone explained. “The second half was more balanced. Bringing on Nico, Baena, and Sørloth gave us energy, and they started to lose that speed, leaving the crosses for Araujo and Lewandowski.

” Diego Simeone on a bad start “Yes, but it could happen. They’re very good. When you play against teams like that and make mistakes, they don’t forgive you.