Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone did not shy away from criticism after his team squandered a 2-0 lead to lose against Barcelona. Rather than blaming bad luck, he pointed to a lack of consistency as the reason for their downfall.
It’s rare for Atletico Madrid to lose at home after leading 2-0 in the 70th minute, but Sunday’s match against Barcelona at the Wanda Metropolitano turned into a bitter experience. Barcelona staged a stunning comeback to secure a 4-2 victory, reclaiming the top spot in La Liga with 60 points.
Real Madrid also has 60 points but has played one more match than Barcelona and trails in head-to-head results. Atletico, meanwhile, sits third with 56 points.
Speaking to DAZN after the match, Simeone remained determined despite the setback.
“We will fight until the end. There are still 10 matches left, and we need to win them all.”
“This isn’t about luck; it’s about hard work. I don’t believe in leaving things to fate—we need to understand our opponents and prepare accordingly.”
Following their Champions League exit at the hands of Real Madrid in a penalty shootout, this loss—especially after holding a 2-0 lead for much of the game—was a tough pill to swallow. Simeone acknowledged that a few costly minutes changed everything.
“In football, those four or five minutes can be unforgiving. I was urging the team to finish the game, and they were responding, but by then, it was too late.”
Atletico will now have to regroup quickly as they push for a strong finish to the season.
