Diego Simeone expressed his emotional connection to watching his Atlético Madrid team compete, particularly after defeating Barcelona with a 3-2 aggregate score to advance to the Champions League semifinals for the first time since 2017.
Barcelona triumphed in the second leg of the quarterfinals at the Metropolitano Stadium, winning 2-1 thanks to goals from Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres, and Ademola Lookman. However, Atlético will progress to face either Arsenal or Sporting Club de Portugal in the next stage.
Simeone’s Atlético have reached the Champions League semifinals four times, in 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2026, eliminating Barcelona on three occasions in the process.
“Eliminating Barça in the Champions League quarterfinals is no small feat,” Simeone remarked during his post-match press conference. “We have faced [Lionel] Messi’s Barça, Yamal’s Barça, and we’ve succeeded.”
“It’s been 14 years [in charge],” Simeone continued. “Watching the team compete still brings me to tears. We’ve seen many players come and go, rebuilt several times, and we are once again among the four best teams in Europe.”
“What a thrill it is to play in a Champions League semifinal!”
Simeone lauded the impact of Antoine Griezmann, who is set to join Orlando City in MLS this summer.
“He is a genius,” Simeone stated. “In time, we will come to appreciate having had a football genius among us— a player who makes a difference, with experience and character. We hope destiny grants him everything he desires in his remaining time with us.”
“I’m really happy,” Griezmann told Movistar. “We made a couple of mistakes [that led to Barça’s goals], which you can’t afford in these matches. I was responsible for the second goal. But ultimately, with the support of the fans and our quality, we managed to score.”
“We struggled with possession and lacked the composure needed to play effectively. But we’re in the semifinals, and it doesn’t matter who we face next.”
While Simeone’s team has been characterized as defensive, the coach argued that their approach was more about attacking, which played a crucial role in their victory over Barcelona.
“We have been evolving for years,” Simeone noted. “We know what we want. We attack better than we defend! Therefore, our strategy is to focus on attacking. There is no other option.”
Arsenal will host Sporting at the Emirates on Wednesday, with the Premier League side leading 1-0 after the first leg.