With its 2-0 away win at Atlético Madrid, FC Bayern made a real statement in the Champions League. Despite numerous injuries, the Munich team dominated the match for long stretches and secured three important points. After the final whistle, Atlético coach Diego Simeone had remarkably candid words about the German record champions.
Bayern prevailed thanks to second-half goals by Lennart Karl and Konrad Laimer. For Atlético, it was their first home loss of the current season. It also ended a streak of nine competitive games without a loss.
Simeone was self-critical after the match and admitted that his team is currently not at the level of Europe’s top clubs. In addition to Bayern, the Argentine specifically mentioned Liverpool FC.
Simeone: “Bayern is better than us”
“Bayern is better than us, and we need to get closer to their level,” the Atlético coach explained after the loss.
Particularly noteworthy was his assessment of how much his team would have to give to compete against opponents of this caliber. “We have to give 120 percent, because 100 percent won’t be enough,” Simeone emphasized.
With that, the 56-year-old made it clear that Atlético is still significantly behind Europe’s top teams.
That said, the coach wasn’t dissatisfied with his team’s overall approach. “We structured the game well. Sorloth’s presence helped us. We were able to play more directly because we won the second balls. He gave us a lot,” Simeone explained.
However, the Spanish side was unable to successfully execute their game plan throughout the entire match.
“After the second goal, the game was practically over.”
Simeone identified Lennart Karl’s opening goal in the 54th minute as the decisive moment.
The 18-year-old Bayern prospect beat Atlético goalkeeper Jan Oblak with a delicate chip, putting Munich on the path to victory. “We played the way we wanted to, but then the first goal went in, and we didn’t know how to respond,” the Argentine admitted.
Even after falling behind, the hosts could hardly find a way past Bayern’s compact defense.
By the time Konrad Laimer scored the second goal in the 76th minute, the match was effectively decided from Atlético’s perspective. “After the second goal, the game was practically over,” Simeone stated matter-of-factly.
The coach also attributed the two goals conceded to individual mistakes. “Mistakes happen. In soccer, many goals result from mistakes. We have to keep growing and improving,” he emphasized.
For Bayern, the comments from the Atlético coach were a special acknowledgment of their performance.
After all, the Munich side had to do without several key offensive players, including Jamal Musiala, Luis Díaz, Serge Gnabry, and Ismael Saibari. Nevertheless, the team led by interim coach Aaron Danks controlled the game and allowed the Spaniards few opportunities.
With this victory, the record champions have significantly improved their position in the race for direct qualification to the Round of 16. After four games, the Munich team now has eight points.
Simeone’s comments underscore the impression Bayern made in Madrid. Even the experienced Atlético coach had to acknowledge after the loss that his team currently cannot match the quality of the German record champions.