Following a 2-0 home victory over Manchester United in the Champions League, Atletico Madrid manager Simeone spoke to the media, praising the performances of Barrios and Lookman while also expressing his confusion about handball rules.

Below is a brief interview following the match.

It was a difficult day for Atletico Madrid.

It's very sad when a player like Koke loses a family member. However, the players performed well; they were very focused, wearing armbands in his honor. We played a very important match.

Barrios scored early.

It was a great transition from defense to attack. Barrios needed that goal; it will help him continue to develop. We're happy for him.

Regarding Lookman.

He is an important player with many strengths, capable of scoring and excellent in one-on-one situations. He hasn't fully returned to his best form, but he managed to break his goal drought. He has the awareness to follow up attacks and capitalize on rebound opportunities. We secured the victory we needed.

Regarding Llorente's handball.

The rules are sometimes too difficult to understand. Since the referee has made his decision, we can only accept it; discussing it won't change anything.

Below is the full press conference transcript.

Having to face this match without Koke.

We know how important Koke is to the club, and we're all very sad. He has a wonderful family around him, and today we're all by his side. He's a strong young man, and with such a good family, I'm confident he'll get through this.

Fans are beginning to embrace Alvarez again.

Fan reaction depends on a player's performance on the pitch; they want to see every player at his best, and Julián is doing that. Against Alavés, he played very well in the second half, and today he had chances to score. He's getting closer to what Atletico Madrid fans want to see from him because we need him to perform at that level.

How is the competition between him and Jonathan David?

They can both play together. Strong competition within the squad is a good thing. During the years we won titles, internal competition and having quality players were always one of our strengths.

Regarding Barrios's playing time.

We're managing his minutes as carefully as possible. He's improving and getting stronger, and I wish I could play him for 90 minutes every match, but we have to protect him so he can perform at his best throughout the season.

Cardozo has developed significantly.

He's in his best form. Since the Real Sociedad match, he's been showing a high level progressively. We need players like this; it's exactly what the club is looking for. As long as it strengthens internal competition, it's good for us. Jurman also played well after coming on; I'm very satisfied because it's not easy to make an impact coming on at that moment. Atletico Madrid is a team that relies on everyone.

Did you have higher expectations for the performance against Manchester United?

We were fortunate to score early thanks to great team effort. We knew they would press high because that's what they do well, but if we could break through their pressure, we'd have good opportunities. After that, we could control the game in a way that allowed us to create threats, and we had several chances to extend our lead, while they also had some dangerous attacks. But overall, I thought we played better, had more possession, and the team kept trying to score more goals.

What impact has Cristian Romero's arrival had?

We wanted Cristian Romero two years ago and almost signed him then, but unfortunately we had to wait another year. He's different; he has an aura that not everyone possesses, and despite having these qualities, he's also humble and respectful toward his teammates. He just arrived but has already taken an important place and proven his strength match after match.

Do you feel more balanced?

Our scoring efficiency is higher than at the same time last year, and we've achieved five consecutive wins during this period. When you can score more goals, the game naturally becomes easier to control. Our offensive and defensive balance still needs to be strengthened, and we'll focus our efforts on this aspect going forward.

Diterjemahkan oleh AI.

Situs web AF kini hadir! Lihat berita lengkap, komentar, detail pertandingan, dan statistik di komputer Anda. Kunjungi: www.allfootballapp.com