Simeone: “Once again, they showed a competitive spirit that I love”

Atlético de Madrid had a very happy future with a double advantage in five minutes. Their fate turned badly around with Barcelona's superiority translating into four goals for the Blaugrana. But, for the umpteenth time this season and the second time in Montjuic, the red-and-white team resisted until they saw the slightest sign of weakness in their rivals in order to grow and exploited it with two late goals that leave a taste of victory and the tie 100% open. The Metropolitano will dictate the sentence.

One of the great architects of Atlético's good result was Julián Álvarez . Scorer of the first, to reach twenty for the first time in his career in Europe, assist on the second and generator of the third, the Argentine was right in each and every one of the decisions he made on the pitch. "The game was crazy. I don't know if it tasted like a victory, but when you're down on the scoreboard, to end up tying it like this on a pitch as difficult as this, with a team that has great players, is important," he analysed after the match.

Julián explained that his team's plan in the face of Barça's superiority was to "hold on." "We had to hold on, always be in the game and keep our heads up, thinking that we can do it. We work this way and the team shows it," to which he added praise for a bench that "always lends a big hand," this time with the great work, once again, of Correa and Sorloth. " Humility and work always pay off ," he concluded.

Of the various matches that took place in the ninety minutes, Simeone was pleased with the work of his team with “firmness, confidence and a huge competitive spirit.” “We started the match very well. Their first goal did us the logical damage of a team that plays at home and plays very well like Barcelona. Then came the corners, which we can improve because we did not defend them well. They started the second half better and then the changes revitalized the team, gave them courage and freshness to attack with more men. They demonstrated a competitive spirit that I am passionate about, once again,” he explained.

The Argentine was "annoyed" by the two goals conceded from set pieces, but was not surprised by the spectacular match between the two teams. "This was going to happen. It is impossible for a team like Barcelona to finish a match without scoring a goal, so to win or draw you have to score goals. The team had the courage to turn around a result that was not easy."

Simeone also summed up the feelings that went through his head on such a crazy and changing night. "When I got to 2-0 I said 'don't be so happy because nothing comes that easy'. Then when I got to 2-2 and 3-2 I said 'it could happen'. When I got to 4-2, 'we're having a bad time'. And with 4-4 we rounded off a night that must have left our fans very happy ," he concluded.