Diego Simeone praises Arsenal FC after Atlético Madrid’s Champions League semi-final exit, calling their campaign a strong effort despite defeat

Atlético Madrid head coach Diego Simeone has praised Arsenal FC after his side were eliminated from the UEFA Champions League semi-finals, insisting that Atlético had a strong campaign despite their 2-1 aggregate defeat.

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Atlético Madrid were knocked out following a 1-0 loss at the Emirates Stadium, after the first leg in Madrid had ended 1-1 at the Wanda Metropolitano, sending Arsenal into their first Champions League final in 20 years.

Bukayo Saka’s decisive first-half goal proved enough to secure Arsenal’s passage to the final, underlining Mikel Arteta’s side’s resilience and consistency throughout the tie.

Simeone, however, refused to criticise his players, instead highlighting their commitment and overall performance across the competition.

“My team gave everything, but we weren’t clinical. We were competing with a team that has so much strength and talent,” Simeone said.

The Atlético boss congratulated Arsenal on their achievement and acknowledged the work of Arteta in building a competitive and disciplined side capable of reaching the final stage of Europe’s elite competition.

“Congratulations to Arsenal, they deserve it as they’ve been fighting for years to get to the final. Mikel Arteta has done an incredible job,” he added.

Simeone also praised Atlético supporters for their continued backing, stating that the club exceeded expectations in the tournament despite the disappointment of elimination.

“We had a very good Champions League campaign; we gave it our all and went much further than anyone expected,” he said.

He further noted missed opportunities across both legs, suggesting Atlético could have forced extra time had key moments gone their way.

The defeat marks another near-miss for Atlético Madrid in their pursuit of European glory, with their last Champions League final appearance coming a decade ago.

The match also concluded Ademola Lookman’s European campaign, as the forward ended his spell in the competition with three goals and three assists across 14 appearances for Atalanta BC and Atlético Madrid following his winter transfer move.

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Arsenal now advance to the final, while Atlético are left to reflect on a campaign Simeone insists still contained several positives despite the painful exit.