Diego Simeone heats up the semifinal against Arsenal with irony and confidence: “We are be

Following the 1-1 draw at the Metropolitano between Arsenal and Atlético Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League semifinals, the two teams face off again, this time at London’s Emirates Stadium, to determine the tournament’s first finalist.In the build-up to the second leg to be played this Tuesday, May 5, Atlético coach Diego Simeone spoke with the press and drew laughter from the journalists with an unexpected confession.Irony and conviction: Simeone’s confession ahead of the Arsenal matchWith the tie wide open after the first-leg draw, Atlético will be looking for a result in London that will allow them to return to a European final, but Arsenal won’t make it easy for them.Neither team has won a Champions League title, so both will give it their all on the field to claim their first trophy. And they have a history of facing off at that stadium.Last October, Atlético Madrid lost 4-0 to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Matchday 3 of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League group stage.For this reason, at a press conference, the Argentine coach was asked not only about the team’s state of mind following that defeat but also about a curious change: the hotel where the team will be staying. With irony and a laugh, Cholo replied:“We’re in better shape than we were in October, and we’re changing hotels because it was cheaper.DIEGO SIMEONEFurthermore, beyond the Argentine’s superstition and his response that made everyone present laugh, the coach made it clear that the focus is on the football. He insisted that the team has “a lot of faith” in what it does and that it will try to “play the game that’s needed,” executing the plan with intensity and conviction.On the other hand, Diego confirmed that Alexander Sorloth, Giuliano Simeone, and Julián Álvarez “moved around yesterday, will train today, and will decide tomorrow” whether or not they’ll play in the match.Meanwhile, in a tone that straddled confidence and irony, Simeone made it clear that Atlético is better prepared than it was for its last major European test and remains hopeful of pulling off an upset in London.Now, the Rojiblancos must turn those feelings into a result that brings them closer to another continental final.Champions League Matches:Second-Leg Matches:Tuesday, May 5: Arsenal vs. Atlético Madrid — 3:00 PM ET at Emirates StadiumWednesday, May 6: Bayern Munich vs. PSG — 3:00 PM ET at Allianz Arena.Grand Final:Saturday, May 30 at 12:00 PM ET…

2026-05-04 22:11:20