Diego Simeone admitted that Barcelona were “a step ahead” of his Atletico Madrid side during a tense Copa del Rey semi-final where the Catalan giants nearly completed a massive turnaround.
Despite losing the second leg 3-0 on Tuesday night—with Marc Bernal scoring twice and Raphinha adding a penalty Atletico advanced on aggregate thanks to their 4-0 victory in the opening match. The result sends Atletico to their 20th final in the tournament’s history, their first in 13 years, where they will meet either Athletic Club or Real Sociedad this April.
Simeone’s’ tactical reflection
The Atletico manager praised Hansi Flick’s tactical setup at the Camp Nou. Simeone noted:
“We knew we were coming to a difficult ground,” emphasizing that Barcelona is a “team that plays very well.”
He explained that the hosts “didn’t let us progress in attack” to recreate the dangerous opportunities seen in the first leg.
Reflecting on the defensive grit required, Simeone stated he left with “the joy and the great effort of knowing how to suffer.” As the pressure mounted at 3-0, he recalled telling himself, “This is Atleti.”
Koke on the title drought
Club captain Koke highlighted the significance of reaching the final, as the team has not secured a trophy since their 2020-21 league title.
“We haven’t won a title in four or five years. We wanted a final for our fans,” Koke remarked.
He admitted the squad “knew we were going to suffer” and had to “resist” a relentless Barcelona side to secure the aggregate win.
Koke was particularly impressed by Barcelona’s young star Pedri, who dominated the midfield statistics.
Koke called him “a machine” and suggested that “if he’s not the best in the world, is certainly one of the best.”
He celebrated Pedri’s impact on the sport, noting, “We’re so lucky he’s Spanish. He’s the present and future of Spain.”
