“We are alive” – Diego Simeone gives Champions League verdict at half time in Real Madrid tie | OneFootball

Atletico Madrid may have lost 2-1 in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie against Real Madrid, but the odds are still very even. The return leg takes place at the Metropolitano next week, and they will feel that they can overturn the one-goal deficit at their home stadium.

As per Diario AS, Atleti head coach Diego Simeone gave his assessment of the 90 minutes at the Santiago Bernabeu. He expressed pleasure with the performance put on by his side, although he was disappointed at the manner of the goals conceded.

“It was a very tactical match, we were trying to take each one through their different moments. They started better, they scored a great goal that we could solve better. The great merit of the team was not to give up, not to enter into that stage fright that generates conceding a goal so early. On the contrary, we started to play, to get into the game, to take control, to get into the opponent’s half. Julián’s goal came, the same pass that Lino could not push. Thus ended a first half that seemed well understood to me.

“We started the second one the same. Brahim’s great play came that we could also solve better and that ended up tipping the balance. The counter-attack for them was there going around, with that work that Vini and Mbappe do very well, who go back to work. They have enormous potential for counter-attacks.”

Simeone also gave his verdict of the tie as it stands at half time. He is confident, although he will only start to think about playing Real Madrid again after the weekend.

“We are alive and it may be that on Wednesday we will have a good night. I understand that we have our heads set first on Getafe. From Sunday night we will start thinking about the second leg.”