‘That’s football’ – Diego Simeone comments on fourth straight defeat
Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone saw his side lose a fourth straight match in La Liga as Los Rojiblancos were beaten 2-1 at Granada on Wednesday.
Atleti came into the match a full 14 points behind city rivals, Real Madrid. Joao Felix opened the scoring after two minutes in his first start for two months, but his side couldn’t hold on. The defeat sees the gap from the top increase to 17 points, as they now sit fifth in La Liga.
Simeone told Marca in his post-match comments: “I can’t say anything to the players. They did a lot of good things but they just couldn’t score.
“There were chances – even a goal that was ruled out – and more chances in the second half. We didn’t concede that many shots to Granada. But we didn’t pay enough attention and we pay for that by losing a game we deserved to win.
“We aren’t finding the victories that we deserve but that’s football. Sometimes we win without deserving it and now we’re losing games we deserve to win. But we have to clear our minds. Stay calm. Continue to work. Wait for our centre-backs to recover – who we’re really missing.
“This team has done many good things. With tranquility and balance we’ll move forward.”
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Koke unhappy with disallowed goal
Atletico Madrid’s 2-1 loss at Granada on Wednesday was not short of controversy. Joao Felix was penalised with a foul for a disallowed goal.
Atleti midfielder Koke was unhappy with the call. Speaking to Marca, he said: “In the field I saw that Joao jumped well and scored, then you are here to judge, the other day in Seville it was similar, they did not whistle and today they have whistled.
“Difficult because of today’s defeat and that of the other day, we had a good game and in two actions we lost the game. You cannot ask for more from the team, only that the results arrive because in the small details, such as the goal disallowed, they go against us.
“In the small details we are not lucky, as you can see. They score us goals for the squad, the small details. We have seen a team that has given everything, that has fought, they have disallowed a fair goal and we got ahead on the scoreboard. Hard defeat.
“The team has pushed forward and has had chances to draw and win, victories will come for sure, the team is trying and will not stop trying.”
Atletico have now lost four successive league matches. A 2-1 loss to Mallorca was followed by a 2-0 defeat at Real Madrid. Atleti then lost 2-1 at both Sevilla and to Granada.
Los Rojiblancos return to action on the 2nd of January at home against Rayo Vallecano.
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