Atlético coach Diego Simeone spoke to the press after his team was beaten 2-0 by Real Madrid at the Alfredo di Stefano Stadium on Saturday night.
Simeone didn’t sugarcoat his team’s performance and took responsibility for things not going his way.
“We need to improve. The criticism is fair and justified, but also what I’m saying, ”said Simeone.
“We made a great effort the other day [against RB Salzburg], there were nerves to leave the Champions League. There was a lot of emotional baggage, which I’m not using as an excuse, but it exists.
“We played badly today. The coach did not have the clarity to see the game in the best way and the team did not do what was asked. Now we have to play again, we have a Copa del Rey match in the middle of the week ”.
Simeone was also questioned about his substitutions, in particular the decision to remove Joao Félix from the field when his team needed a goal. Felix was clearly frustrated when he left the field.
“I understood the game in the way I showed myself,” Simeone said of the substitution.
“I was looking for freshness in attack, whether it was Joao or [Hector] Herrera [who had to come off].
“I was looking for more legs in midfield. The game was breaking the path of Real Madrid and we wanted to compete better. We couldn’t find the goal we were looking for to reduce the difference.
“I get it [Joao Felix]It is the annoyance and I share it. I know that when you play, you want to give more, but you have to ask the player why he was upset.
“I can give you what I think it could be, that he wants to play the full 90 minutes, play better …
“There are a thousand things. When you get the chance, ask each of them why they got angry. “
