Diego Simeone Admits Atletico Madrid Didn't Deserve to Beat Espanyol

Atletico Madrid's LaLiga title ambitions suffered a setback after a 1-1 draw with Espanyol. Diego Simeone rued the late penalty conceded by his team. Get the latest updates on Atletico Madrid and LaLiga.

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone was left to lament a late penalty conceded by his team, which ultimately led to a 1-1 draw against Espanyol on Saturday. This result dealt another blow to Atletico's LaLiga title aspirations. Simeone's team had taken the lead, but Espanyol was awarded a penalty in the 71st minute after Clement Lenglet brought down Leandro Cabrera in the box. Javi Puado subsequently converted the penalty to secure a draw for the hosts.

Diego Simeone acknowledged that the draw was a fair outcome, considering the balance of play. “The draw was fair,” Simeone told reporters after the match. Atletico has now gone three league games without a win, leaving them six points adrift of leaders Barcelona, who have a game in hand.

Simeone reflected on the match, highlighting the differences between the two halves. “We controlled the game better in the first half, we were doing well, we had a good control of it,” he added. However, the momentum shifted in Espanyol's favor after the penalty. “The penalty came from an isolated play and they scored the goal and the game went into a different territory, they had the home enthusiasm with their people to win.”

🚨 Diego Simeone: “In the Champions League, we won the second match but it ended up being decided by UEFA. We won that game…”.

“Against Barcelona, we were exposed to a very dangerous team, and they scored four goals in 20 minutes. Today, we played a flat match”. pic.twitter.com/ETBI1tHWPR

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) March 29, 2025

Atletico Madrid has endured a challenging month, with a string of disappointing results. The team was eliminated from the Champions League on penalties, despite a hard-fought 1-0 win against Real Madrid in the second leg. Additionally, Atletico squandered a two-goal lead in a 4-2 LaLiga loss to Barcelona.

Diego Simeone acknowledged the difficulties his team has faced, but emphasized the importance of perseverance. “We know that in the season there are good moments, regular ones, bad ones ... you have to know how to get through them and compete until the end,” Simeone said. This mindset will be crucial as Atletico navigates the remainder of the season.

Atletico Madrid will face another significant challenge next week, as they host Barcelona in the return leg of the Copa del Rey semi-finals. The first leg ended in a thrilling 4-4 draw, setting the stage for an intense showdown. Simeone expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming match, saying, “We have a very nice game on Wednesday and we hope to put all our energy and ability into playing a great game.”