Simeone Acknowledges Atletico Madrid Didn’t Earn Victory Against Espanyol

Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone expressed his disappointment over the late penalty awarded to Espanyol, which thwarted his team’s quest for the LaLiga title in a 1-1 draw on Saturday.

Defender Clement Lenglet was deemed to have fouled Leandro Cabrera in the area, allowing Javi Puado to convert the penalty in the 71st minute for an equaliser.

“The draw was deserved,” Simeone remarked to journalists following Atletico’s third consecutive league match without a victory. The team currently sits six points adrift of league leaders Barcelona, who have a game in hand.

“We managed the game well in the first half, we were in control,” he added.

“The penalty was the result of an isolated incident, and after they scored, the dynamics of the game changed. Their home crowd rallied, providing them with the energy to push for a win.”

This month has been challenging for Atletico, as they faced elimination from the Champions League via penalties, despite a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Real Madrid in the second leg, and then blew a two-goal lead in a 4-2 defeat to Barcelona in LaLiga.

“We understand that throughout the season there are moments of highs and lows; it’s essential to navigate through them and maintain competitiveness until the end,” Simeone stated.

Next week, Atletico will welcome Barcelona for the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-finals, having drawn the first leg 4-4.

“We have an exciting match on Wednesday, and we hope to channel all our energy and skills into delivering a great performance,” Simeone concluded.