Simeone, visibly upset by the final tie, analyzed the game against Manchester United in Movistar.
Both from United: “A good play in the exit of the ball by Bruno Fernández that enables very well in one of the only imbalances that we have in the game. Reinildo accompanying the play could have solved it better”.
Perfect Match: “A lot of good things. Collective work, pressing up front, defensive play… I didn’t make changes because they did it well. We were very close. I liked how we competed. Very satisfied with the team’s play.”
Too bad for the great first half: “We couldn’t get two of Correa’s steps right and Vrsaljko’s didn’t want to go in.”
return meeting: “We have to repeat many things from today’s game. There are many positive things, but a priori it seems that they have the advantage but nothing changes”.
João Félix’s great goal: “Very good action, a great goal for reading the game, timing and forcefulness. A great pass from Renan Lodi who is a specialist.”
Later, the Argentine coach appeared before the media at a press conference:
With what feeling do you leave the game?
What was seen was seen. A team that worked the game very well, with spirit, very good tactical work, Lodi and Vrsaljko very organized, always having four in the middle, we played the game we wanted, working well, we lacked a quick transition to go with a little more advantage, we had Vrsaljko’s on the crossbar and in the second half nothing happened. From a well-executed action by them they found a mismatch of ours and surgical precision of theirs, in the first situation they got the goal. Griezmann’s side were able to win the match and we are left with what they saw. A strong team, that competes, that was able to take the victory and we hope to continue on this path.
Why is it not always played like this?
That’s a good question. The answer? I dont know it.
Are you more optimistic than before the game?
We are the same as before the game started. Nothing changes. We are going to play in their field with their environment, they will surely have more drive and that will generate a higher rhythm than is usually seen in the Premier. What better than going to play a fantastic scenario to put everything to the test.
Another mistake that is paid.
There are different ways to position yourself. I keep the lot of things that the team is doing better. From the movement of the club and us in recent weeks, the meetings we have had, the spirit we want is being seen. Against Osasuna it was seen and today again.
It is paradoxical that they can go through to the quarterfinals without winning a game at home.
No, because it’s football. You can’t continue in the Champions League without winning a game, but from the round of 16 onwards it can be done.
Why did you change João Félix?
I saw him tired, that he was no longer going backwards and he wanted to share that effort with a player like Griezmann, who works very well. Great goal from João, Lodi’s center and his forcefulness allowed us to get ahead. His and Correa’s work was a consequence of what the party asked for. When I saw that the energy was beginning to be lacking, we put in important players so as not to lower the response that the game has had at all times.
They have left the words and passed to the facts, do they have bitterness left?
The bitterness is logical. She is a passenger for not having been able to win a very well worked match. More painful is that of Levante, that we did not play as we had to do. We leave with a positive feeling and Lodi had not been playing, Herrera neither and they are not words, everyone has their moment and we have to be prepared and how they saw it. Lodi, Herrera, Kondogbia, Vrsaljko, who had not been playing, have left an excellent game.