Diego Simeone 'happy for' Arsenal despite 'significant financial resources' as Atletico Madrid denied UEFA Champions League dream

React to this story

Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone was magnanimous in defeat after his side fell to a 1-0 loss in their UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg against Arsenal.

No Filter: Behind the scenes as Arsenal book UCL final spot at ELECTRIC Emirates

Video credit: TNT Sports

The Argentinian cut an increasingly exasperated figure on the touchline at Emirates Stadium as the visitors chased an equaliser following Bukayo Saka's goal late in the first half.

Simeone praised Arsenal and refrained from criticising the referee despite his visible frustration with some decisions.

"There’s nothing to say, we’re out. We congratulate Arsenal, they competed well and they have a team and a coach that I like," he told reporters.

Transfers

Vinicius decision 'imminent', Barcola's Liverpool contract 'agreed' - Euro Transfer News

37 minutes ago

"They follow a consistent approach, with significant financial resources that allow them to compete at this level, so congratulations.

"We’ll keep doing our job, without dwelling on a single detail of something that’s so obvious."

He added: "In the first leg, we already had chances to score and didn’t take them. Here, in the second half, we improved, got more into the game, played in their half and had opportunities.

"All those little details that sometimes go your way. This time, they didn’t go our way. Congratulations to Arsenal, they deserve it as they’ve been fighting for years to get to the final.

"Mikel Arteta did an incredible job so far, so I am happy for them.

'I feel peaceful' - Simeone 'proud' of Atletico players, fans after UCL exit

Video credit: SNTV

"If we got knocked out it’s because our opponent deserved to go through. If you ask me how I feel, I feel calm.

"My team gave everything but we weren’t clinical. We were competing with a team that had so much strength and talent."

Atletico felt aggrieved in the second half when Antoine Griezmann went down under a tackle from Riccardo Calafiori, but the referee had already given Arsenal a free-kick for a challenge on Gabriel.

"The Griezmann incident is very obvious," Simeone said. "We initially thought [referee Daniel Siebert] had made the right decision.

"I’m not going to focus on it, I don’t want to, because that would be making excuses and I don’t feel like doing that.

"It makes no sense to talk about that clear penalty on Griezmann. It doesn’t make sense to talk about it now. Sometimes referees’ decisions can be good for us, sometimes not. Tonight, we were unlucky."

Highlights: Arsenal reach UCL final after Saka winner downs Atletico

Video credit: TNT Sports

It was another near miss in the Champions League for Atletico under Simeone, who has taken the club to two finals and two semi-finals since his appointment in 2011.

Asked if he has the strength to try again in the competition, he said: "No, not right now. Definitely not right now."

But he remained positive about his team's display across the two legs.

"We had a very good Champions League campaign, we gave it our all and went much further than anyone normally expected," he said.

"It’s a shame. We deserved better in the first leg and today, at the very least, to have forced extra time, which might have given us another chance."

Atletico have all but secured their place in next season's Champions League, sitting fourth in La Liga, 10 points clear of fifth-placed Real Betis with four games to play.

Add TNT Sports as a preferred source here to enjoy more content like this.

Stream the Premier League, men’s and women’s FA Cups, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League and more live on TNT Sports and HBO Max.

Transfers