The head coach of Atletico Madrid, Diego Simeone, after successful UEFA Champions League matches, praised his team and stated that he worked hard for these moments for several years.
On Wednesday evening at the "Vicente Calderon" stadium, the return Champions League quarterfinal match took place between Atletico and Barcelona. In the first meeting, Barcelona celebrated a victory at home with a score of 2-1, but D. Simeone's players managed to surprise the champions of the previous season and a 2-0 victory meant the end of the opponents' journey in Europe.
Last season, Atletico was eliminated from the quarterfinals by Real Madrid, and in the 2013-14 season, they also managed to eliminate Barca at the same stage. This season, the curse repeated itself and Europe will have new champions.
"There is virtue in this team. Together, we have worked hard for more than four years. I am satisfied with every player. I am not talking about reaching the semifinals, I am talking about the honesty of these players. They can win and lose," said D. Simeone.
"Today we won a very difficult match. We always believed that we could do it. In the first half, the game developed as we wanted, but in the second half we had to play according to Barcelona's rules. We played against a very good team that has very strong players.
These are unforgettable moments. On our way to the game, we saw a bus full of children who were traveling to support us and, most importantly, believed in us. It was a special day," added D. Simeone.
On Friday at 1 pm, the Champions League draw ceremony will take place in Lithuania. Possible opponents for Atletico are Manchester City, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich.
