Atlético Madrid coach Diego Simeone analyzed his team's performance after the clash against Stuttgart (1:1) in the Champions League. He emphasized the character of the players after the score fell behind and their enormous work when playing with a man less after Ullmand's expulsion.
„Even before the match, we knew how dangerous and organized Stuttgart is - a team that imposes serious pressure and defends very compactly. At the beginning, we were unable to counteract their aggression, but after the goal for 1:0 was conceded, the team reacted excellently. In the last fifteen minutes of the half we showed that we were in the game, and in the locker room we were sure that the goal would come“, shared the coach.
Simeone expressed his satisfaction with the performance of Julian Alvarez, who scored a wonderful goal and ended his goal drought.
„Julian invested a huge physical resource and did a great job on the left flank. His goal was a real masterpiece. I am extremely happy for him, because the team needs his qualities in such form“, added the specialist.
However, the plan for a complete turnaround was disrupted by Ullmand's red card. According to him, however, the sending-off was fair.
„The sending-off was fair. I constantly repeat to the boys that when they throw themselves into the double, the chance of getting a red card is huge. In the dynamics of modern football, such tackles and ankle strikes look very serious on video replays and are condemned on the spot. Footballers need to be more careful because lack of control leads to suffering for the whole team“, the Argentinean stressed.
The coach also commented on the controversial situation with the foul against Hanzko, for which his players insisted on a penalty: “I was far from the epicenter of the events, but everyone around me claims that there was a tackle and a clear penalty. The unpleasant feeling remains that we were harmed, but that doesn't change anything anymore.“
Despite the difficulties and half an hour of playing with ten men, the coach was satisfied with the achieved draw.
“The red card forced us to quickly adapt to the new conditions. "We brought on Seurlot to look for counter-attacking opportunities with Lookman, but the most important thing was to control the point we won. Playing 30 minutes with one man less in the Champions League is an extremely difficult task and I'm proud of the boys' dedication," Simeone concluded.