Diego Simeone contemplates Atletico future as derby defeat ends trophy desires

AFP

Atletico Madrid’s desires of a trophy this season got here to an finish with a Copa del Rey quarterfinal 3-1 defeat in opposition to bitter rivals Real Madrid on Thursday, with coach Diego Simeone blaming the referee’s choice to ship off defender Stefan Savic for the loss.

The match, which was held on the Santiago Bernabeu, noticed heightened feelings with Atletico followers issuing threats focusing on Real’s Vinicious Junior earlier than the sport. 

In the nineteenth minute of the match, Alvaro Morata scored to place Atletico forward 1-0, however Real Madrid was in a position to take the sport into additional time after Rodrygo Goes equalized late within the second half.

Atletico Madrid defender Stefan Savic was proven a second yellow card for a foul on Eduardo Camavinga, leaving Atletico with 10 males.

It proved an excessive amount of for Simeone’s facet as Real scored twice in additional time, with targets from Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior, securing their spot within the semifinals.

After the match, Simeone questioned Savic’s sending off, saying, “For me, we played a very good game until the 70th minute, when [Dani] Ceballos didn’t get a second yellow card [for a foul on Thomas Lemar].”

He went on to say, “We’d have been a man up and 1-0 up, but it didn’t happen. Later Savic was sent off and we were a man down. It got more difficult with 10 men, but the team was brave enough to look for the draw, I’m happy with the effort of the players.”

Simeone was additionally sad with what he stated was a scarcity of safety from referee Cesar Soto Grado for ahead Morata. “I asked him ‘Do you have something against Alvaro? If so, I won’t pick him in the next game you referee!'” Simeone stated. “[Soto Grado] said Alvaro sometimes goes down easily. But he went off with a knock. They’re decisions. Ceballos could have got a yellow and didn’t, and Savic did.”

The Copa del Rey was more likely to be Atletico’s final alternative to win a trophy this season after the staff completed backside of their Champions League group, and are at the moment fourth in LaLiga, 13 factors behind leaders Barcelona.

Diego Simeone, who has been accountable for Atletico since 2011, hinted it is perhaps time for him to maneuver on, saying he’ll mirror on his personal future on the finish of the season.

“We’re out of the Champions League, and we’re out of the Copa del Rey,” Simeone stated.

“We’ve got the second half of the season to reach the objective which the club needs [to finish in the top four] and then we’ll look at everything.” He added, “I’m happy to be at Atletico Madrid. From the day I arrived until the day I leave I’ll give everything for the team and the club.”

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti hailed goalscorer Vinicius for remaining “focused” regardless of being focused in a racist incident forward of the sport, when a dummy carrying his shirt was hung from a bridge close to the membership’s coaching floor, drawing widespread condemnation. “Vinicius played well as always,” Ancelotti stated. “His goal was the reward for his work. What happened was disgraceful, but he was focused on the game.”