My Young Players Are Making Us Proud – Diego Simeone

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone hailed his side’s character and fighting spirit after they lost Tuesday evening’s Champions League semifinal 2-1 at Bayern Munich but qualified for the final on away goals.

Atletico went to Munich with a 1-0 lead from last week’s first leg, but Bayern soon evened things up when Xabi Alonso’s free kick was deflected past visiting Jan Oblak as reward for a super-fast start from Pep Guardiola’s side.

Just after half-time, a lightning counter-attack brought a vital away goal for Atletico from Antoine Griezmann, and even though Robert Lewandowski headed the teams level on aggregate late on, Simeone’s side held on to progress to the decider against either Real Madrid or Manchester City in Milan on May 28.

Speaking to Spanish TV channel Antena 3 after the final whistle, the Colchoneros coach admitted that Bayern had played a “fantastic” first half to come back into the game, but his team had been able to respond after the break.

“The first time we saw a tremendous team, pressure, play, positioning, pace, aerial power, speed — they were fantastic in the first half,” Simeone said. “We had not much of a response. In the second half it was a different game, more balanced, we countered well and scored. That allowed us to get closer to the end, with the advantage of the goal at the Calderon.”

A dramatic game also saw each side miss a penalty as Oblak saved from Thomas Muller when Bayern were well on top during the first half, while Manuel Neuer stopped a Fernando Torres spot kick which might have made it more comfortable for Atletico at the end.

“Both were key in their moments,” Simeone said. “Fernando showed personality to take the penalty, and it was a great save from the keeper. A penalty transmits something — 2-0 down would have been very difficult for us. The other way it could have been easier for us [had Torres scored]. But the lads showed great composure at the end of the game, it was not easy, we have gone through to the final, with so much joy.”

Atletico have now progressed against the odds against holders Barcelona and five-time European Cup winners Bayern, and could now face a rematch of the 2014 decider against city rivals and 10 time champions Madrid.

“The Champions League is being very nice for us, spectacular, but so difficult,” Simeone said. “We have played against two of three best teams in the world. We went through, with difficulties, losing 2-1 in both away games. But at the [Estadio Vicente] Calderon we were very good against both Barca and Bayern.”

If do face a rematch of the 2014 final, Simeone insisted it would be an entirely different affair and that revenge would not be on his team’s mind.

“That [2014] team was much more experienced, many players of 28 or 29 [years old], this team has many more young players, who are learning as they go along. Koke, Saul, Griezmann, [Jose] Gimenez, [Yannick] Carrasco … it fills us with pride.

“We have a different chance, [in 2014] we had to play on Saturday in Barcelona, the following Saturday against Madrid. This year we will have a fortnight, which will help both finalists. Life is not about revenge, but about new opportunities, and this is a new opportunity.”