Soccer
Diego Simeone after the Champions League football match between Atletico Madrid and Bodo/Glimt at Riyadh Air Metropolitano. Photo: Thomas Andersen /Imago
Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone has revealed his side were never going to compete against Arsenal after Ademola Lookman and the rest of his players were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League last night, Soccernet.ng reports.
The first leg ended in a 1-1 draw at the Wanda Metropolitano a week ago. In that game, Lookman played his first 90 minutes in the Red and white of Los Rojiblancos, surprisingly, after only just returning from an injury.
At the Emirates Stadium last night, Atletico Madrid were toothless, and Bukayo Saka’s 45th-minute strike was enough to send Mikel Arteta’s men to the UEFA Champions League final, their first since May 2006, when they lost to Barcelona.
Ademola Lookman had a poor outing and had to be taken off in the 57th minute, replaced by Alexander Sorloth.
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After the game, the Argentine manager, in his post-match conference, revealed that their opponents on the night had more consistency in preparation, especially financially, to help them grind out results as they did at the Emirates.
“There’s nothing to say, we’re out. We congratulate Arsenal, they competed well and they have a team and a coach that I like,” the 56-year-old said in quotes revealed by Into the Calderon.
“They follow a consistent approach, with significant financial resources that allow them to compete at this level, so congratulations,” he continued.
“We’ll keep doing our job, without dwelling on a single detail of something that’s so obvious.”
Since becoming Atletico Madrid’s head coach in December 2011, Simeone has led Los Colchoneros to two UEFA Champions League finals, ending both in losses.
With another semi-final adding to his pain last night, the ex-Inter Milan midfielder is unsure if he has the strength to compete again next season.
“No, not right now. Definitely not right now.”
“Congratulations to Arsenal, they deserve it as they’ve been fighting for years to get to the final. Mikel Arteta did an incredible job so far, so I am happy for them.
“My team gave everything but we weren’t clinical; we were competing with a team that had so much strength and talent.
“I appluad our fans and our players. We had a very good Champions League campaign, we gave it our all and went much further than anyone normally expected.
“It’s a shame. We deserved better in the first leg and today, at the very least, to have forced extra time, which might have given us another chance,” the two-time La Liga winning coach concluded.
For Arsenal, the chances of winning a double this season has gone up significantly. The Gunners could win the Premier League for the first time since 2004, as they’re five points above Manchester City.
Adefolahan Guerreiro
Adefolahan is a multilingual CAF-Accredited sports journalist and football writer whose work spans outlets like Soccernet Nigeria, Pure Football UK, and Royalsportz.
With a sharp eye for detail and a background in college sports, he tells the African football story with depth, flair, and global perspective.
Fluent in English, Spanish, and German, he brings a cross-cultural voice to his coverage, blending insight with accessibility for readers around the world.
His portfolio includes interviews with top Nigerian stars like Finidi George, Junior Lokosa, Sikiru Alimi, Sodiq Ismaila, and Abraham Onahi Ogbu.
A devoted Borussia Dortmund fan, Adefolahan thrives on the emotion and rhythm of the beautiful game. Away from work, he’s a sci-fi enthusiast and series lover who enjoys exploring how sport, storytelling, and culture collide.
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