Simeone: Atlético ‘got where they wanted to be’ in reaching Copa final

Barcelona, Spain – Diego Simeone strode into the Camp Nou press room late on Thursday knowing his Atlético Madrid side had just been beaten 3-0 on the night, yet the Argentine coach wore the expression of a man who had achieved something far larger than the score-line suggested. Thanks to a commanding 4-0 victory in the first leg at the Metropolitano, Atlético advanced to their first Copa del Rey final since 2013, a feat Simeone believes rights a decade of near-misses.

“We had reached two semi-finals and were close to reaching a final, it wasn’t to be because our opponents were better,” Simeone recalled. “In this two-legged tie we were better than Barcelona because we took advantage of the game where we were better.”

The visitors never found attacking rhythm on the night, undone largely by set-pieces. All three Barça goals originated from dead-ball situations, beginning with a first-half header that Simeone lamented as the tipping point. “It hurts that we couldn’t control that set piece that hurt us so much and led us into a game against a team that plays very well,” he said. “If they threaten you from set pieces, you suffer more.”

Simeone praised the return of Pedri and Raphinha for raising Barcelona’s tempo, admitting that in the opening 45 minutes “they were a step above us,” denying Atlético the space required to implement planned right-flank combinations featuring Marcos Llorente and Ademola Lookman. The only genuine chance of that ilk came when Llorente lofted a late cross that Lookman headed narrowly over.

Yet the manager insisted the outcome validated his broader philosophy. “We are Atlético, we are destined to suffer, to always reach our limits,” he stated. “The journey is fantastic.” He highlighted the introduction of José María Giménez as a stabilising moment, injecting “maturity and confidence” into a side desperate to reach the final whistle.

Simeone also turned wistful when discussing the possibility of captain Koke appearing in the showpiece. “He deserves it more than anyone,” he said of the midfielder’s tireless display. “I love him, I always want the best for him, and I hope he can play in the final.”

Looking ahead, the 53-year-old was clear that progression alone is not the end goal. “It’s just about reaching the final, a step toward what we want,” he noted, while adding that Thursday’s adversity will steel his squad for the challenges that follow. “To compete at the highest level, you have to play like this. I think it will serve us well for what’s to come.”

When the final whistle confirmed an aggregate 4-3 victory, Simeone allowed himself a moment of reflection. “We got where we wanted to be,” he said. After eleven years of knocking on the door, Atlético Madrid are back in the Copa del Rey final, and their manager believes the suffering along the way has only sharpened their resolve.