"The game we WANTED to play" Ancelotti explains | Simeone BREAKS DOWN Atleti loss to Real Madrid 🌟

Tactical game, hard game. You had to have your mind in it constantly, didn't you? Like always. No news. Like always. Strong defensively, both teams. We didn't press a lot. But it was the game that we wanted to play. To be strong defensively and try to avoid problems. I think defensively we were quite good. Where we could do better was in the first half. When we had the advantage, we could control better the possession of the game. We forced too much and we lost balls. And they were good in transition. I don't know if it was the fact that you scored first, but you seemed to perhaps gain confidence through it. And give initiative to Atletico Madrid. That came naturally? Or did you try that? I think the plan was that we didn't want to press not on time. To give them the opportunity to counterattack. We wanted to keep a good block. I think that defensively we didn't concede opportunities. Julian Alvarez scored a fantastic goal. But I think it was not a clear opportunity. And defensively we were good. The only thing is that in the second half the same thing was happening as well. They were taking the initiative. You seemed to be waiting to get the ball back. But you've got players that with a moment of genius change the whole script. Yes, this is true. When we are solid defensively with the quality we can win. It's quite easy to say, but this is the reality. We defended well with this kind of quality in front. I think frequently we win the game. Have you had the chance to see Brahim's goal yet in detail? That dribble without moving. Yes, this is true. He was a little bit lucky in this chance. But he has this kind of quality in small spaces. It's really good. He filled a gap, didn't he, in midfield? Especially in the first half, second half as well. And also scored. He was outstanding today. He was? He was outstanding today. Brahim? Brahim, yes. He worked really hard like Rodrigo. I think the two men that scored a goal for us were the best players on the pitch. Could you ask Rodrigo to cut the amount of the match trophy in half and give him half to Brahim? Yes, Rodrigo in the Champions League is always fantastic. It is his competition. Finally, second leg away. What do you picture? Difficult, of course. Equalised like tonight. We never know. No one knows what could happen in the game. We have the confidence because the goal tonight was to take a little advantage. And we have. Go on, tell us. You get the ball. You've got no chance. By the way, I counted it. There were five Atletico Madrid players around you. So no chance. You shouldn't go through that. But what did you do? I feel like I need to enjoy the game. And to manage, like you said, to see where is the space, where are the players. I think I did a really good first movement. And of course, I treated him and he went to the opposite side. So I tried to go inside and then to shoot with the right. It was a great goal. But like I said, it's just for the team. I'm really happy because, of course, winning this game is a big step. But it's not finished. OK, so you move. And without taking your feet away from the ground, Jimenez goes the other way. You make a touch to leave him behind. And you're thinking of the goal? You're thinking of shooting at the point? No, I like to see everything. So I didn't try to shoot at the beginning because I was trying to pass in the box. But there were so many players. So I saw Jimenez went. I did the movement. So he went. And then I take the touch and I see the goal open. So I shot. Conor, a tough night out there. What did you make of your side's performance tonight? Yeah, it was a difficult match, of course. Real Madrid are a top team. And I think we competed well. I think it was a decent performance. Obviously, we would have liked to have got a better result. But it's all to play for in the next leg. We saw a phenomenal goal from Julian Alvarez. What's he been like to play with this season? You must have seen him do that so many times in training, right? Yeah, it was an unreal goal. And it doesn't surprise me, of course. He's playing with so much confidence. And he's a top player and a top guy as well. So, yeah, he's done great this season. And I'm sure it will continue. Carlo Ancelotti, before the game, said no matter what the result tonight, it would be decided at the Metropolitano next week. One goal down. How do you feel? Still in the tie. Do you feel this is doable for Atletico? Absolutely. We feel we can beat any team. And with our fans behind us as well, of course it helps. So we'll be looking forward to it. Obviously, there's been a psychological hold, I guess, for Real Madrid over their city rivals, particularly in the Champions League. I know you're new to the club, but how much does that weigh on the squad going into the game next week? To be honest, we're not thinking too much about stuff like that. We've played against Real Madrid a few times this season already, so we know we can compete against them. We know we can win. And that's what we're going to try to do. And just finally, from the two games in the league this season and tonight, what can you take from it? What do you need to improve on to get the win that you're going to need to go through next week? I think maybe it's the focus in our defensive third. We know the quality they have up front, and we need to be focused defensively. And, of course, we need to score goals as well. And we're going to give it everything we've got. Is this the game that you imagined while you were having a coffee? I wasn't thinking about the game while I was drinking a coffee. The game was good. I think we did a game where we competed really well. Two really good individual plays by Brahim and Rodrigo. It broke a little bit of the work that our team was doing. We equalized. In the first half, we finished better than they did. In the second half, we started better than they did. And a goal by Brahim helped to bring the tie in their favor. There are many things that show that the team is doing really well, especially the emotional response after conceding. Especially in the first goal, Simeone says, it came very fast. We weren't able to resolve how we should have resolved. But there's a nice little feather in our cap. The team responded with tranquility and playing the way that we wanted to play. We got the goal. Dino got there later on a second opportunity. And I have good sensations finishing this game. Guillem tells them it's a good platform in the second leg. We have one more game. That's what I'm thinking. We're going to compete. It's a tight result. And we have to do an extraordinary effort. He asks about Julian Alvarez and his talent. His incredible goal. At the same level of Rodrigo and Brahim. All the goals were spectacular. We hope to help Julian so he can keep on giving us good things. You probably don't have time to think about the second leg. But I won't speak to you until after the second leg. So what do you imagine? No, I'm only thinking about the Getafe game, which is the game at the weekend. Guillem talking to him says, how do you feel? Very good. We know that there's still a long way to go. So we have to think about the game at the weekend and then the return leg that we have at home. Guillem says, but there are many things that you did well in the game. He said, yes. We controlled the game. We moved the ball well. We created opportunities. But they scored in key moments and it cost us tonight. This is what you're facing. A team that doesn't necessarily need to play well. But at any given moment, they can score the way they did. Are you prepared for that mentally? He said, yes, we know we're playing a great team. They're playing at home with their fans in the Champions League. And we know what that means. But 90 minutes still to play at home, putting in the same work that we always do.