Diego Simeone after Atletico Madrid 1-2 Barcelona – ‘Next match won’t be calm | OneFootball

Following a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Barcelona, Diego Simeone left the Metropolitano with mixed feelings on Saturday night.

The defeat hurt, but the manner of it, with Atleti holding Barcelona until the 87th minute with ten men, a depleted squad, and youngsters like Seidu and Morcillo on the pitch, gave him reason to feel encouraged ahead of what really matters.

The two sides meet again on Wednesday at the Spotify Camp Nou in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.

But the dominant topic in his post-match interview was not the late Lewandowski winner. It was the Gerard Martin red card that VAR overturned to a yellow in the second half.

What Simeone said after loss to Barcelona

His first response to the incident was measured, if loaded with implication.

“I’d rather not say anything about that play. Let’s not talk about the play, it’s done, we lost 2-1, nothing we say will change that, let’s not waste time.

“The other day in the Betis-Rayo match they wanted to explain that this kind of play was a sending-off. Let’s not waste time, let’s talk about something that adds up,” he said.

He moved on quickly, but the frustration kept surfacing.

“When a play is that clear, there’s nothing to say.”

His focus then shifted to Wednesday, and what he expects from Barcelona on their own ground.

“We need to look at what’s coming, which is the Champions League, and we hope to put in a good performance. The tie won’t be calm.

“They will play the kind of match they played in the Copa del Rey, taking on that responsibility they carry when they play at home, which they handle brilliantly. They will attack, they will look to score goals to build a lead, and I can’t imagine it being any other kind of match,” he added.

Simeone couldn’t stop talking about Gerard Martin’s red card. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)

Asked what Atletico need to produce in the first leg, he pointed directly to the first half at the Metropolitano as the template.

“We’ll see how things develop. We need to put in a great match like we did today, especially in the first half. And repeat it — in the Copa match, it was hard for us. We will try to play a match in line with what the tie demands,” he said.

On the Nicolas Gonzalez red card in the first half, Simeone accepted the decision but used the topic to circle back to the Martin decision.

“The moment he went in with that tackle, it was clear it was at least a yellow, his second, and that meant a red for Nico. But then they start telling you it might be offside, and you try to cling to that kind of thing, but the play is clear – he goes in late.

“Though I don’t think it’s a straight red, more a double yellow. It was clearly a sending-off. It’s a kick that you can clearly see — both of them, the one in the first half and the one in the second half, you can see them both,” he said.

He returned to the Martin incident one final time and this time he was direct.

“They haven’t harmed me. They made a mistake, just like I make mistakes. I saw the Betis-Rayo incident a few weeks ago — the CTA said it was a sending-off. Did you see it? Did you? Yes or no? Come on, everyone saw it.

“There’s not much to say – he goes in late, he stands on the foot, the entire ankle. Let’s see if the CTA explains it properly so that next matchday it’s clear what a sending-off is,” he concluded.

Source: Diario SPORT