Atletico Madrid Coach Diego Simeone Praises Team's 'Insane' Numbers

Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid secure 8th Champions League quarter-finals in 13 seasons

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone hails team's progress after reaching Champions League quarter-finals for 8th time in 13 seasons. Atletico Madrid will face Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals after beating Tottenham Hotspur 7-5 on aggregate.

“Numbers speak for themselves” says Simeone, proud of his team's achievement...

 

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone is thrilled with his team's progress, saying “numbers speak for themselves” after guiding them into the Champions League quarter-finals for the eighth time in 13 seasons. Despite a tough 3-2 loss at Tottenham Hotspur, Atletico secured a 7-5 aggregate win, setting up a thrilling clash with Barcelona.

Simeone praised his team's effort, acknowledging the challenging match: “The effort was enormous. The team didn't start well; the three-goal lead didn't help. We equalised, then it was 2-1, we equalised again, we had chances to close it out, and then came the final penalty.”

“Sometimes you don't need to say anything, the ‌numbers speak for themselves,” Simeone told reporters.

“It's a moment ‌to be happy as a club, as a team, with the joy of our fans, who will celebrate this step towards ‌the quarter-finals. When you get here, the ⁠road will be tough, ‌as in previous situations where we reached the final.”

Full time! Onto the quarterfinals!! pic.twitter.com/kj7U1ZFufc

— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) March 18, 2026

Atletico Madrid had a tough time in London, despite having a 3-goal lead from the first leg. They needed goals from Julian Alvarez and David Hancko to secure their spot in the quarter-finals, as Tottenham Hotspur pushed hard for a comeback.

“The ⁠effort was enormous. The team didn't start well; the three-goal lead didn't help. We equalised, then it was 2-1, we equalised again, we had chances to close it out, and then came ‌the final penalty. The draw was what we deserved,” he said.

QUARTER-FINALS BOUND!!! pic.twitter.com/xLRyeDXzY4

— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) March 18, 2026

Barcelona absolutely crushed Newcastle United in the last-16, scoring eight goals over two legs, with seven of those coming on Wednesday in a 7-2 thrashing at Camp Nou. This impressive performance makes them favorites to advance in the quarter-finals.

Atletico Madrid, on the other hand, will take heart from their recent victory over Barcelona in the Copa del Rey semi-final, where they won 4-0 at home and lost 3-0 away, giving them a strong momentum heading into this Champions League matchup.

“It will be difficult because we'll ‌be facing the best attacking team in Europe, but we'll have the enthusiasm to compete,” Simeone said.

Atletico Madrid is gearing up for a thrilling schedule ahead, with little time to rest after their Champions League win over Tottenham Hotspur. They're heading to the Santiago Bernabéu to face Real Madrid in LaLiga this weekend, and then they'll have to contend with Barcelona three times in their next four games - once in LaLiga and twice in the Champions League.

The pressure is on, and Diego Simeone's side will need to be at their best to navigate this challenging run.