Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has backed his side to go to San Mames and score twice against Athletic Club following a tight first leg in the Copa del Rey semi-final. Both sides competed well, with the Basques going in front via an Alex Berenguer penalty. The second half was dominated by Los Rojiblancos, but Los Leones had nearly as many clear chances.
“The team played a very good game. We made a mistake and mistakes are paid for in these knockout rounds,” Diego Simeone explained to Diario AS.
“We worked very well the first half, the second much better, all the time in the opponent’s half. We left space behind us, and defended it quite well. We had chances without goals, we couldn’t put them away. We’re calm, this is the way. They have a clear advantage, they play at home, but we will go to play the options we have left.”
🎙️ Diego Simeone: "We have to score two goals in the return leg. It won't be easy. They have taken a significant step forward, let's see if they can sustain it and if we can change the result." pic.twitter.com/t0T4QMlYDj
— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) February 7, 2024
Simeone was clear that he was happy with the general performance of his side, if not their finishing.
“I always value the result, it is what matters to the fan, what is interesting. But it can happen that in a match you do not have the precision that you have had in other moments. We have to continue generating chances. The team, especially in the second half, had two or three important ones to tie the game. It is the way to go.”
His counterpart Ernesto Valverde similarly felt there was little in the game.
“There was tension, we had to control the nerves a little. The game had good minutes, with a good first half and in the second half they pushed us a lot. We were able to score, and we had chances to increase the margin, and Simeone will think the same, that they have had a chance to equalise.”
He did have words of praise for back-up goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala. The 23-year-old spilled a ball early on but recovered to make the save, and even so, didn’t show much sign of nerves after that.
“There was tension there, you could tell. With the result in their favour they lofted many balls into the box, he is a great goalkeeper despite his youth and we trust him. He has great confidence, he holds up well,” Valverde said.
