Atletico Madrid Finishing Luck To Turn, Says Simeone

Atletico Madrid lost ground in the Champions League league phase after a 1-1 draw with Galatasaray, despite controlling much of the game. Atleti are 12th and now must defeat Bodo/Glimt in their final fixture,

while also depending on other results, to climb into the top eight and extend their European campaign.

The match statistics underlined Atletico Madrid’s frustration in this Champions League outing. Atleti attempted 15 shots and produced 1.43 expected goals, while Galatasaray generated only 0.5, yet both sides finished with one goal each. Wasteful finishing again proved costly for Atleti, who have struggled to turn dominance into secure results this season.

Diego Simeone accepted the draw as another missed chance, yet defended the way Atletico Madrid approached this Champions League clash. Simeone said: "To win, you have to create chances. There are many teams that have game-changers. We're on the path we're on; we'll win games even if we don't shoot much. As a coach, I don't see any other way than to keep trying. May Lady Luck grant us a victory. We get what we deserve because we don't convert the chances we create. The team is doing well, but it needs to improve its finishing. "

Giuliano Simeone supplied an early breakthrough for Atletico Madrid in this Champions League match, scoring after just four minutes. The advantage did not last, as Galatasaray levelled through an own goal by Marcos Llorente. That incident shifted the momentum, and Galatasaray grew into the contest, especially after adjusting their defensive structure as the game progressed.

Reflecting on the overall performance, Diego Simeone remained convinced that the current approach will eventually deliver results for Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. Simeone said: "The path we've taken will pay off eventually. That's football. We played an impressive first half. We conceded a goal, but they improved in the second half with five at the back. They could have won in the end, but I liked the team. "

Giuliano Simeone’s opener set a club milestone for Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. The goal, timed at 3:41, was Atleti’s earliest away strike in the competition. It was also their quickest away goal in any European match since November 2010, when Sergio Aguero scored against Rosenborg in the Europa League after 3:35.

Defensive numbers added another worrying note for Atletico Madrid from this Champions League campaign. Atleti have now allowed 13 goals in seven league-phase matches this season, their highest total in any group or league phase in the competition. They had previously conceded 12 in both the 2009-10 and 2024-25 editions.

Across entire Champions League seasons, only the 2024-25 edition has seen Atletico Madrid concede more often, with 14 goals in total. This 1-1 result against Galatasaray also ended a long run of decisive outcomes for Atleti. The club had not drawn a Champions League match since a 2-2 result against Celtic in October 2023.

Individual form in attack also came under focus for Atletico Madrid during this Champions League stretch.

7 - Julin Alvarez hasn't scored in his last seven games in all competitions, his worst run since his arrival to @atletienglish. Blocked. pic.twitter.com/EYSA0oZ5erOptaJose (@OptaJose) January 21, 2026

Julian Alvarez’s seven-match scoreless sequence added to the concern, yet Simeone stressed the collective responsibility. He said: "The team's effectiveness isn't just about the strikers, it's about everyone. "

The draw leaves Atletico Madrid’s Champions League progress finely balanced before facing Bodo/Glimt. The team has shown energy, structure and attacking volume but has lacked composure in front of goal and stability in defence. Simeone’s squad now enters the final league-phase round needing both a strong result and favourable outcomes elsewhere.