Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has expressed pride over the way his team competed in their Champions League defeat to Real Madrid last night, saying that many coaches would envy having players he has.
Los Rojiblancos’ journey in the Champions League was cut short for the second year in succession by their cross-town rivals Real Madrid. Having defeated the reigning Spanish champions in the summit clash last year in Lisbon, Carlo Ancelotti’s side scored the only goal of the tie courtesy of an 88th minute strike from Javier Hernandez to seal their passage to the semi-finals of the prestigious competition.
Despite the end of the road for his team’s Champions League dreams this season, the Argentine extolled the virtues of his players and insisted that they competed exceedingly well in a difficult competition.
“I go away proud of my team”, he was quoted as saying by UEFA.
“Once more we competed really well in the UEFA Champions League, which is a very difficult competition.
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“I am sure I have a team of men, a team that work hard.
“At times we can play better or worse, but I am so proud of the players and of being the coach of the type of players who give what they gave today.”
Simeone, a former Atletico Madrid player himself, further added that despite their best efforts his team couldn’t get the desired result, adding that most managers in football would envy him for the players he has.
“When I was a boy I was taught you have to compete in a game and when I gave everything and lost, I could go home happy. When the team work as they did today there are no negative feelings.
“I think a lot of coaches would envy having players that run for 90 minutes despite the difficulties in front of them.”
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