´The numbers speak for themselves´ – Simeone revels in Atletico´s Champions League heroics

Diego Simeone mentioned the numbers don’t lie about his success within the Champions League after guiding Atletico Madrid to one more quarter-final within the competitors.

Atletico reached the final eight of UEFA’s flagship competitors regardless of a 3-2 loss to Tottenham within the second leg on Wednesday, with the harm completed in Madrid eight days’ in the past.

The LaLiga aspect emerged 7-5 victors on mixture, getting back from behind twice at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium earlier than Xavi Simons’ late penalty sealed the win for the hosts.

Simeone has now progressed from eight completely different Champions League final 16 knockout ties, as many as Jose Mourinho and behind solely Pep Guardiola (14) and Carlo Ancelotti (13) in Champions League historical past.

“There are occasions when it’s not obligatory to speak, the numbers converse for themselves,” Simeone advised reporters about his newest achievement.

“We’ve to offer the best vitality we have now, the standard to reinvent ourselves. The trouble made an unlimited effort.

“The workforce didn’t begin nicely, the three-goal benefit didn’t come nicely. We equalised, it was 2-1, we equalised, we had conditions to shut and the ultimate penalty got here.”

31 – Atlético Madrid have scored 31 targets in 12 matches within the 2025/26 @ChampionsLeague, their highest tally in a single version of the competitors of their historical past.

Punch. pic.twitter.com/BH9M26tJmk

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) March 18, 2026

However not solely are these numbers spectacular, however with their two targets in opposition to Spurs, solely Paris Saint-Germain (34) and Bayern Munich (32) have netted greater than Atletico’s 31 within the Champions League in 2025-26.

As well as, the one two events Atletico have scored as many as seven targets on mixture in a Champions League tie have been of their final two ties this season, having beforehand overwhelmed Membership Brugge 7-4 within the play-offs.

And their reward is one more conflict with Barcelona, having already performed the Blaugrana thrice this marketing campaign, the most recent of which noticed Simeone’s aspect knock them out within the Copa del Rey semi-finals over two legs.

“Sure, it’s a second to be comfortable as a membership, as a workforce, with the enjoyment of our individuals, who will take this step to the quarter-finals,” Simeone added.

“Whenever you enter right here the highway shall be onerous, as in earlier conditions after we reached the ultimate.

“We should compete like this. It is going to be troublesome as a result of we are going to face the workforce in Europe that assaults the perfect, however we shall be excited to compete.”

It was additionally a particular outing for Julian Alvarez, who grew to become simply the fourth participant to attain and help in each legs of a Champions League knockout tie (two targets, one help in first leg, 1 aim, 1 help in second leg).

The others are Alessandro Del Piero (1997-98 semi-final, Juventus vs Monaco), Kaka (2011-12 quarter-final, Actual Madrid vs APOEL) and Robert Lewandowski (2019-20 final 16, Bayern Munich vs Chelsea).

“We knew it wouldn’t be simple in opposition to a sophisticated workforce who play very nicely,” Alvarez mentioned of Atletico’s show.

“However with the three-goal benefit from the primary leg, we knew methods to management the tempo of the sport.

“We clearly needed to win on the night time, and had alternatives to take action, however we’re comfortable to undergo to the quarter-finals.”