Diego Pablo Simeone left the city of Mendizorroza with the satisfaction of having secured a victory for Atlético de Madrid on a terrain that has historically been difficult for the colchoneros. The victory, which was achieved after a series of decisive plays, marked a turning point in the season, as the club had suffered several defeats in the same stadium in recent years.
The Argentine coach highlighted the importance of controlling the pace of the match, especially after Alavés scored a penalty at the end of the first half. “That penalty conditioned the start of the second half for us,” explained Simeone. Even so, Atlético maintained superiority with eleven players and managed to overcome the pressure of the rival, who was reduced to ten at some point in the match. “We tried to put players on the field who could break that strong defense that Alavés has,” he added, referring to the defensive solidity that the opposing team had shown in their previous matches.
Simeone also highlighted the performance of Julián, who received a hard tackle from Ángel Pérez but finished the match in good condition. “I saw him very well, he came in with a lot of enthusiasm and with a lot of desire to help the team from where he was assigned,” commented the coach. The player's assessment was a key point, as his performance contributed to the team's stability in the midfield.
Regarding the tactical strategy, the coach spoke about the management of the minutes and the distribution of the game between Jonathan, Julián, Lookman and Baena. “It was an incredible vision of the game,” Simeone said, pointing out how Atlético managed to manage the lack of rest and maintain the offensive pressure they were looking for. Baena's intervention, in particular, was highlighted as a factor that provided dynamism to the attack.
The topic of penalties also came up in the conversation. Referee Le Normand was mentioned by Simeone, who explained that the interpretation of “grabbing” plays is complicated and that referees are usually attentive to the behavior of the players. “It is difficult to interpret how far it is a penalty and how far it is not,” said the coach, underscoring the controversial nature of refereeing decisions in football.
With the result obtained, Atlético de Madrid advances in the table with a victory that reinforces their position and gives them confidence for the next matches. The next match will be crucial in consolidating the team's position in the competition, and the coach seems optimistic about his squad's ability to continue producing positive results.