Simeone eyes missed opportunity: “We did more than enough to force extra time”

A visibly frustrated Diego Simeone faced the media following his side’s narrow elimination, insisting that his players had done “more than enough” to keep their Champions League hopes alive.

Speaking in the post-match press conference, the Atlético Madrid manager did not hide his disappointment. “It’s a shame because I think we did more than enough to at least take the game to extra-time,” Simeone said, his voice carrying the weight of a campaign cut short.

The Argentine coach pointed to his team’s second-half intensity and the handful of clear-cut chances that went begging as proof that the tie did not need to end in regulation. He argued that a combination of fine margins—an inspired opposing goalkeeper and a lack of precision in the final third—denied his side the opportunity to extend the match by another 30 minutes.

“We controlled the rhythm, we created the danger, and we pushed until the very last whistle,” Simeone added. “When you give everything and the game slips away on details, it’s a difficult pill to swallow. A draw or extra-time would have been the fairer reflection.”

The defeat ends Atlético’s European journey for the season, leaving Simeone to now refocus his squad on securing a top-four finish in La Liga. But the lingering feeling, as the manager made clear, is one of what might have been. “We deserved more tonight. The dressing room is hurt, and so am I.”