• Chronicle Atlético, eliminated after an incredible and cruel outcome against Leverkusen

More than 10 minutes after everything had ended, of that absolutely bizarre and cruel outcome, there was Cholo, his gaze lost, his eyes glassy, ​​in the middle of the lawn of the Metropolitan.

Another night of Champions with pain, another red and white disappointment.

«The Champions League is difficult for me, I have no doubt.

We lost one final on penalties and another in 93. There is nothing closer to penalties", he was honest as never before in the press room, just a few seconds after shamelessly confessing that, after those disappointments against Real Madrid, the yesterday was his "hardest" night.

"But I'm headstrong.

And I will continue to insist until I have a chance at this club », I challenge him below.

It is the second time in a decade of

cholismo

that Atlético has not advanced to the round of 16, but what happened this time affects a negative and worrying trend.

"The numbers don't lie,"

Simeone

had resigned himself after the frustrating draw against Bruges.

The first four years of his, the athletic dawn in the Champions League was a promise.

In all, classified as first in the group.

And from there, like a spring, two finals (2014 and 2016), some semifinals (2017) and some quarters (2015).

But, since then, the troubles.

«We have spent seasons that it is costing us to be in the second round.

There the team competes better, in duels ».

Since then, Atlético has never managed to reign in its group, nor was it going to do so this season.

He was confident, however, in the final sprint, in another magical night in Do Dragao, like the one a year ago.

However, this time he will not even make it to next Tuesday's clash with Porto alive.

There the crumbs will be played, which other times ended in glory: avoid the absolute failure that would be not even continuing in the Europa League.

And for this they need to win or, at least, do the same as Bayer Leverkusen against Bruges.

"We deserved more"

"The Champions does not forgive", is another of Cholo's recurring phrases.

Since that 2017, Atlético never managed to get past the quarterfinals.

As if Simeone's effect had been diluted, and the greats of Europe did not suffer against the rojiblanco as

Messi 's Barça,

Guardiola

's Bayern

or

Mourinho

's Chelsea did in those initiatory Champions.

It was the move to the Metropolitano, cruel whims of fate, with which everything began to go wrong.

At that turning point, a name like a nightmare, the Qarabag.

The Azerbaijani team that was never heard from again stole four points from Atlético, who fell to the Europa League that they would end up lifting in Lyon after beating Olympique de Marseille.

Then came four consecutive seasons qualifying as second in the group, four premature eliminations: Juventus in the round of 16, Leipzig in the quarterfinals (the year of covid, after Anfield's feat in the round of 16), Chelsea in the second round and Manchester City in the quarterfinals last year.

«It was not within what we expected, but it is reality.

We deserved much more in all the games.

There are two places to put yourself, in the place of victimhood or in continuing to work.

I am about to continue working, ”said a visibly affected Simeone without a doubt.

Like

Jan Oblak

, again a hero with several saves that kept hope, even in the middle of the entanglement of the last play that the VAR review led to the fatal penalty.

“It is a very cruel way to fall.

In the second half we have done everything to win, but the previous matches have not punished us.

We have not had the luck that was needed.

Can't say more than I'm disappointed.

It is a very hard result, "said the goalkeeper.

The unusual outcome of the game also gave rise to moments of great tension.

It was pondered whether

Griezmann

should have been in charge of the responsibility for the final launch.

Bakker

made the ugliest gesture a sports professional can make, rudely mocking

Carrasco

after

Hradecky

's save .

And

Xabi Alonso, received with whistles by the Metropolitano,

went to ask the referee for explanations and was seen involved in a brawl with

De Paul

.

"This type of decision is doing a lot of damage so lightly, VAR is being used too much, today it could have harmed us, I don't think it was a correct decision," criticized the San Sebastian coach.

Conforms to The Trust Project criteria

Know more

  • real Madrid