Diego Simeone says watching his team, Atletico Madrid, compete still gets him emotional after knocking out Barcelona 3-2 on aggregate to reach the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 2017.
Barcelona won the second leg of the quarterfinal on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at the Metropolitano with a score of 2-1 - goals scored by Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres, and Ademola Lookman - but Atletico Madrid are entitled to face Arsenal in the semifinals.
Simeone's team have now reached the Champions League semi-finals four times, in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2026, knocking out Barcelona three times along the way.
"Getting rid of Barcelona in the Champions League quarterfinal is not easy. We have faced Barcelona with (Lionel) Messi, a Barcelona reinforced by Yamal, and we succeeded."
"It's been 14 years (here). Seeing this team compete still makes me emotional. The players have changed, we've started again many times, and once again we are among the four best teams in Europe. How happy it is to play in the Champions League semi-finals!" said Simeone in a post-match press conference.
Simeone praised the contribution of Antoine Griezmann, who will leave Atletico Madrid to join Orlando City in MLS (Major League Soccer) this summer.
"He's a genius. We'll realise over time that we have a football genius here, a player who makes the difference, with experience, and personality."
"May God and fate give him what he is looking for in the rest of his time with us," said Simeone.
Meanwhile, Griezmann admitted that he would be at his best in the rest of his service with Atletico Madrid. He was also not afraid of fighting anyone in the next Champions League match.
"I'm very happy. We made two mistakes (for Barcelona's goal) that immediately had to be paid dearly in a game like this."
"I lost the ball for the second goal. However, in the end, with the support of the fans and our quality, we were able to score."
"We were not comfortable with the ball, we did not have the calm needed to play. However, we are in the semifinals. It does not matter who our opponent is," Griezmann told Movistar.
Simeone's team is often labelled defensive, but the coach argues that it is the attacking approach that has seen them knock out Barcelona.
"We have evolved over the years. We are clear about what we want. We attack better than we defend! So, we have to attack. There is no other way," said Simeone.
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