The Argentine manager didn’t enjoy the heavy defeat but was able to find some positive signs from the performance
Diego Simeone said Atletico Madrid’s 4-0 thrashing to Bayern Munich left a “bad taste” but refused to criticise his players for the manner of the loss.
Atleti were comprehensively outclassed by the Champions League holders in their Group A opening game in Munich on Wednesday with Bayern winger Kingsley Coman instrumental in the result.
France international Coman scored two goals – the second a superb individual effort – with Leon Goretzka and Corentin Tolisso also on target for the defending champions.
The defeat was Atletico’s joint-worst in the competition, as they managed just one shot on target, but head coach Simeone felt there were still some positives to take.
“I am left with the bad taste of defeat,” Simeone said in his post-match media conference.
“But I am left with things that for the future will do us very good. I do not know if we made too many mistakes or if it was the quality of the opponent.
“So I am left with the attitude of the team, and until the end we looked for the goal. The forcefulness of the opposition has made an important difference.
“Bayern are in a great moment, they are a great team. But you have to see the good performance of Hector Herrera, Yannick Carrasco, Marcos Llorente because they will surely add up from now on.”
Mexican midfielder Herrera hailed Bayern as the number one team on the planet, and felt Atleti showed their battling qualities even if their usual defensive solidity was less evident.
He added: “We played the champions face to face, the best team in the world. With the score against us, we did not stop fighting and looking for the game.
“We had our opportunities and we did not take advantage of them in key moments. If we had done it would have been another story.”
Bayern coach Hansi Flick felt his side’s ability to overcome the physical threat posed by Simeone’s side was key in securing the victory.
Bayern won 51.9 per cent of duels, with defender Lucas Hernandez their most combative player, winning possession eight times in the match.
“Our efficiency was good and I am very satisfied. It is very important to win that first game,” Flick said.
“We were physically present. That was important, to be there, to win those one-on-one situations. We had a match plan and we applied it, scoring four beautiful goals.
“We faced a tricky team but we dealt with them fantastically. We were so clinical in front of goal. We can be satisfied with it and that is what matters.”
Coman, who scored Bayern’s winning goal in their Champions League final victory over Paris Saint-Germain in August, was thrilled to start their defence of the European Cup in such emphatic fashion.
“Of course I thought back to the goal in the final. But it’s a new Champions League campaign, we want to keep winning,” the France winger told Bayern’s website.
“We turned in a very good display, I scored two goals, which makes me very happy.”
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