The heat of the Metropolitan: “The crowd was huge throughout the match. The team responded. That communion is very difficult to see in the stadiums, people supporting after having fallen”
a useless tie: “It serves for our pride and that of our people. We have peace of mind for having given everything.”
Tangana and expulsion of Felipe: “It was so far away that I don’t know what happened. The referee told me that he stepped on it. I didn’t see anything.”
Ironic applause for Guardiola’s bench?: “I didn’t go to Pep’s bench. I applauded the people, who were appraising the team’s effort. The people were very involved.”
City time waster: “Nothing to say. There is a referee to impose the rules. Congratulate the rival, who fairly won the tie because he scored one more goal than us”.
styles: “What is clear to me is that we are proud of who we are and how we compete. I like to see those who win celebrating. And that shows that the important thing is to win.”
Later, at a press conference, the Atlético coach said the following.
What feelings does the game leave you? “I’m screwed because we were left out. You always want to win, no matter how you win, you always celebrate winning, which is the most important thing in football. It was difficult, a rival that doesn’t go below two goals per game, we were able to stop them defensively. In In the first leg we hardly had any finishes, today we did create chances, three, four or five.
They have suffered a lot of criticism in recent weeks. “I have priorities in life. The first is to win. Then it’s to be proud of what we do. We have extraordinary fans, pushing the team and in the end responding to what the team showed. I’m proud of what Atlético is. Compete , we have our ways, maybe good, bad or that we don’t like, but we compete. Those players and these have achieved it. Diving headfirst for the ball, giving everything knowing that the rivals are better. It is clear that we did not win and that is the most important”.
He ended up applauding the City bench for their wasted time. “When you talk too much, you end up undressed. At no time did I applaud the rival bench, I applauded our people, those on one side, those on the other… It seemed fair to me to applaud something that was seen and noticed in the game, that The footballers were giving the people what they wanted, beyond the fact that we couldn’t give the pass, which is what they were looking for”.
Has Guardiola felt disrespected? “No, I have no reason to give an opinion or for someone to speak badly or well. Very intelligent people with a great lexicon can, with words of praise, despise you. Those of us who have less lexicon are not so stupid.”
What did you think of the fight in the locker room? “I didn’t see it. I stayed with the footballers applauding the people, receiving their support and when I went up the stairs there was nobody.”
The City ended up playing that other football of which he is accused. “I consider that football has a lot of facets. I am not going to comment on how the rival behaved. There are you, who see everything very clinically and express an opinion. We keep ours. Play possibly the best team in the world and realizing that we were able to compete very well doesn’t leave me alone or happy, because we didn’t win and I feel screwed, but it does give me peace of mind that when my old man, Luis Aragonés, goes to bed, those who left in the pandemic saw his team He competes very well.”
Savic could have been ejected for grabbing Grealish by the hair. “I always believe that justice is on the part of those who have to implement it and it is the referees. I also believe that there is a penalty against Correa that should have been reviewed, but they should have understood that there was not even a review.”
Would you advise anything to Madrid ahead of the semifinals? “Me? Give Madrid some advice in the Champions League? It would be disrespectful.”