Diego Simeone Focused on Positives After Atletico's Defeat to Leganes

Atletico Madrid's record-breaking 15-game winning streak came to an end with a 1-0 defeat to Leganes, but manager Diego Simeone remains positive about his team's performance.

Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone praised his players and urged them to stay positive despite a disappointing 1-0 defeat at local rivals Leganes, which ended their record-breaking 15-game winning streak. Simeone acknowledged that his team had dominated the game, but ultimately failed to capitalize on their chances.

Simeone lamented Atletico's wasted opportunities, including a penalty missed by Antoine Griezmann in added time. “The team generated enough situations to have had a different scoreline,” Simeone told a press conference. The Argentine manager felt that his team had started strongly, but failed to find the breakthrough. “We started with a lot of energy, with key plays in which we could have found the goal.”

❝Agradecer a los futbolistas estos 15 partidos maravillosos. Hoy nos tocó perder, aunque creo que el equipo hizo méritos para, al menos, empatar❞.

— Diego Pablo Simeone 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/Lxk8vvZvhc

— Atlético de Madrid (@Atleti) January 18, 2025

Simeone credited Leganes for their resilience and effective use of dead-ball situations. “In the second half, they made good use of the dead ball and after they scored they started defending better, with humility and we found it difficult to overcome that.” Despite the defeat, Simeone refused to be too critical, acknowledging that losses are an inevitable part of the game. “We had that penalty, but Leganes did very well. It was our turn to lose.”

Diego Simeone chose to focus on the positives, praising his team's performance despite the disappointing defeat. “Today I stick with their performance that was good and hope we can keep playing well moving forward,” he said, emphasizing his commitment to building on the team's strengths.

Atletico Madrid remains at the top of the standings with 44 points, narrowly ahead of second-placed Real Madrid by just one point. However, both Real Madrid and third-placed Barcelona have a game in hand, which could potentially alter the landscape of the league. Real Madrid hosts Las Palmas on Sunday, while Barcelona plays at Getafe later on Saturday, giving them opportunities to close the gap on Atletico.