Barcelona – Atlético: Simeone, after a new setback at the Camp Nou: “The forcefulness in the areas makes you champion” | Sports

Since January 8, Atlético de Madrid has not lost a game. It was precisely against Barcelona in the Metropolitan (0-1). As happened in the duel in Madrid, Diego Pablo Simeone and his footballers left with the feeling that they did not deserve to lose. “It was a good game on our part, the first half we played what we wanted to play. We had situations to be able to score, we didn’t have forcefulness or luck. Griezmann’s crossbar, the one that Ter Stegen takes out… They, the first time they had it, were forceful”, lamented the Atlético coach in the Movistar LaLiga microphones. Simeone left again without being able to account for a league victory at the Camp Nou. He has coached Atlético in more matches at the Barça coliseum, without achieving a victory (nine defeats and seven draws), than in any other stadium in his entire career as rojiblanco coach.

1

Ter Stegen, Ronald Araújo, Alex Balde, Marcos Alonso (Eric Garcia, min. 61), Koundé, Busquets, Gavi, Frenkie De Jong (Kessié Franck, min. 78), Lewandowski, Raphinha (Ansu Fati, min. 91) and Ferrán Torres (Pedri, min. 60)

0

Oblak, Mario Hermoso (Reguilón, min. 78), Nahuel Molina, Savic, Carrasco, Giménez, Witsel (Morata, min. 59), De Paul, Lemar (Saúl, min. 66), Griezmann and Correa (Pablo Barrios Rivas, min 59)

goals 1-0 min. 44: Ferran Torres.

Referee Jose Maria Sanchez Martinez

Yellow cards Marcos Alonso (min. 27), Busquets (min. 56), Griezmann (min. 74), Raphinha (min. 77), Savic (min. 79), Giménez (min. 81), Reguilón (min. 83), Morata (min. 86), Gavi (min. 90), Ivo Grbic (min. 91) and Saúl (min. 93)

The half-smile that the Argentine coach wore at the end of the match reflected the disappointment at the defeat as well as the satisfaction at the version offered by his players. Atlético registered the same shots (13) as Barcelona. “In the second half we had to find an option to tie. We grew with the changes so that the team could sustain the round trip that the game turned into. We had situations, but we couldn’t be concrete. We missed a game that we played well, we had to lose. They are on their way to the championship, they deserve it, they have made a very strong League”.

The only reproaches that Simeone had for his team were not having looked for Carrasco more, which made Balde suffer, and that they lacked greater solidity to defend Ferran’s goal. “In the first half we used Carrasco little, we did damage every time he received,” said Cholo, who explained about Barcelona’s goal: “We had the ball, we lost it at the start and they made a transition that was not pure . We let them think, they found the pass inside and Ferran scored a nice goal in the only play they had in the first half. The forcefulness in the areas is what makes you a champion. It was a shame not to take a point because we played well”.

The same disappointment that Simeone felt for not having achieved a positive result was shown by the rojiblanco goalkeeper Jan Oblak. The sensations are not the best. We didn’t do badly in the first half, we were pretty good and they scored us at the last minute. In the second half we had chances, but the sensations are not the best, we lost and not much more can be said”, said the Slovenian goalkeeper.

Among the rojiblanca expedition there were complaints about some hands from Busquets after a header from Giménez. The ball hit the arm of the Barcelona captain, who had his back turned. “I have not seen the play, nor have I spoken to anyone, but if my teammates have protested, it probably must have been something. With the hands nobody knows if it is or not and it is the referee who decides. I don’t know what happened, but we lost and we didn’t take any points to Madrid”, Oblak settled.

“Due to some circumstance that does not correspond to us, we could not tie,” Giménez slipped. “We played very well and the game got away from us due to small details. The body that stays with you is sad because you lose and above all because of how the game went, “concluded the Uruguayan central defender.

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