Simeone shares Lamine Yamal plan as Atlético try to seal cup final spot

Madrid, Spain – With a place in the Copa del Rey final on the line, Atlético Madrid head coach Diego Simeone fronted the media on Monday evening and struck a defiantly optimistic tone, insisting his squad is “fighting for what we want” ahead of Tuesday’s semi-final second leg against Barcelona.

Speaking at the club’s training complex, Simeone brushed aside suggestions that the season is drifting after Atlético slipped off the Liga pace, instead highlighting progress on two other fronts. “We’re a little far off in La Liga, it’s true,” he admitted, “but in the Copa del Rey we’re doing well, in the Champions League we’re doing well… we’re fantastic where we are.”

The Argentine coach lavished praise on the opposition, describing Barça as “one of the most competitive in Europe and in La Liga” thanks to their “very offensive, open” style and a roster of “very good individual players.” Pedri and Raphinha, confirmed fit for the return leg, were singled out as talents “important to any team in the world.”

Yet it was teenage winger Lamine Yamal who dominated the tactical portion of Simeone’s briefing. The 16-year-old’s cameo in the first leg added a fresh dimension to Barça’s attack, and Simeone revealed a specific plan to neutralise the forward’s threat. “He’s a very good individual player, unpredictable, especially in the final stages of the game,” Simeone said. “We’ll have to take advantage of all the opportunities he gives us on offence to attack in that area, and also take him to the place where he feels more uncomfortable than defending.”

The Atlético boss refused to be drawn on broader narratives surrounding the tie, dismissing the need for “spaces to fill” in preview columns. “We imagine the game as we always do… with the same mindset,” he stressed, adding that the squad has already rehearsed “the situations that may arise and how to take it where we think we can hurt them.”

Club captain and goalkeeper Juan Musso also earned a public vote of confidence. Simeone highlighted the Argentine’s “personality, energy and vitality” as pivotal to the group dynamic, arguing those traits outweigh even his shot-stopping contributions.

Tuesday night’s clash represents the culmination of months of planning, and Simeone urged his players to seize the occasion. “You spend the whole season waiting for games of this importance,” he said. “You need to play with quality, with talent, with authority, with personality, with enthusiasm, with faith and, above all, with determination.”

Kick-off at the Civitas Metropolitano is set for 21:00 CET, with the tie delicately poised after a 1-1 draw at Spotify Camp Nou three weeks ago. A final against either Athletic Club or Mallorca awaits the victor.