Atlético Madrid coach Diego Simeone celebrated his 56th birthday on Tuesday by speaking to the media ahead of the UEFA Champions League semi-final against Arsenal at the Estadio Metropolitano.
Asked if football “owed” Atlético a Champions League title, Simeone responded “I think we’re all human, and you just have to ask everyone, it’s clear that, as people, everyone has a different way of thinking. But I believe we don’t owe anything to anyone, that things are earned and achieved, and for that you have to work
and go after them, and that, obviously, Lady Luck has to be on your side too.”
Diego Simeone on his birthday wish
“The truth is, no, I don’t have any wishes. I feel nothing but gratitude. I have the chance to be with my three children on my birthday, with my two daughters, with my mom, with my wife and with lifelong friends. I’m not in a position to ask for anything at all; I just want to give thanks and enjoy everything I’m fortunate enough to experience in this life.”
Simeone on the fans
“Naturally, the fans are excited to be in another semifinal. It’s extraordinary that Atlético Madrid is in a Champions League semifinal again, after nine years (and) after, in fourteen years, doing it for the fourth time, if I’m not mistaken. That really is wonderful, it’s incredible. And I think that faith, that excitement, that energy our fans pass on to us, will do us a world of good.
“We’re facing a tough match against a very good opponent with a set-piece strategy that’s been very well worked out. And, well, here we go, full of hope.”
Simeone on dreaming about the final
“I always say that dreaming is fine, but reality is what happens on earth, and what happens on earth is what we do and what God wills. So that’s how we behave.”
Simeone on feeling the pressure
“Honestly, it’s not pressure. The responsibility is the excitement of being close to a huge goal, one the club has never achieved, and of course, yes, there’s a special excitement. But preparing, preparing to play, because in the end it’s a soccer match and, as Koke rightly said, the players are the ones who ultimately decide these kinds of matches because of their class, their ability, their work. We have to prepare well. We want to play the match we envision, and, as I always say, take the match to where we believe we can hurt them.”
Simeone on the team’s biggest weapon
“What we’ve been doing in the knockout rounds we’ve had, whether in the Copa del Rey or the Champions League. Playing with that intensity, playing our style of play, with our attacking intent, with that initiative the team has offensively, and we’ll go from there.”
Simeone on worries about preparing for the game
“With everything I have to worry about regarding Arsenal, the truth is that it doesn’t leave me any room to think about anything else.”
Simeone on Alexander Sørloth
“Alexander Sørloth is incredible. He’s a player who scores a ton of goals year after year. When he’s on form, he’s a game-changer for our team. We need him, just like he was the other day in the second half, especially because he embodied everything we need from him in his play, and he’ll surely help us in tomorrow’s match.”
Simeone on transfer interest in Julián Alvarez
“I’m not inside Julián Alvarez’s head, and I understand that it’s normal for an extraordinary player like Julián Alvarez to be wanted by Arsenal, PSG, and Barcelona. It’s normal because he’s very good.”
Simeone on Ademola Lookman’s fitness
“Well, the truth is that his arrival has had a very positive impact on the team. The truth is that he brings something special offensively. He’s working much harder on his defensive duties. We’ll see if he recovers well by tomorrow, because he was still feeling some discomfort today. So we’ll see if he can help us tomorrow or not.”
