‘Ballon d’Or proves results matter most’

Diego Simeone claims Cristiano Ronaldo winning the Ballon d’Or proved results matter most after Atletico Madrid’s 1-0 victory over Real Betis.

Nicolas Gaitan’s early goal was enough to earn Atleti a third straight win in La Liga on Saturday, but while Simeone accepted his side were not at their best against the Andalusians, he was satisfied with the manner in which they pulled through.

“Results mattering more than performances? Do you have any doubts? Look at who won the Ballon d’Or,” the Coach said after the game.

“It was an important win, we worked especially well in the first 30 minutes.

“At the end of the game, in the last 15 minutes, Carrasco gave us metres to control the game.

“In the period that I haven’t referred to, Betis tried to get balls into our box and with the feeling that an equaliser was coming.

“Then Carrasco came on and had a very good chance, the best of the game.

“Griezmann and Torres worked well, but with Gameiro and Carrasco it seemed that the second goal would arrive, although it didn’t.

“I played here for five years and been in this role for as many years, so I know how everything goes down here. When the atmosphere starts to quieten, it irritates me a little bit.

“We tried to stop that feeling [of quietness] from being transmitted. It’s something I don’t like.

“It’s not easy to stay on the same line for five years and fortunately we’ve won our third consecutive League game. Such consistency asks a lot of you.”

Tags Ballon d'Or Cristiano Ronaldo Diego Simeone
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