Simeone urges Atletico Madrid fans to stay calm after Barcelona defeat, calls result fair

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone has urged the club's supporters to remain calm and composed following their 2-1 defeat to Barcelona at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano Stadium, a result that pushed Atletico further from the top of La Liga.

A win would have put Atletico at the summit, but after taking the lead through Giuliano Simeone, the team conceded twice to Fermín López and slipped to third place, now five points behind Barcelona.

Speaking to reporters after the match, Simeone said: “We played a great game. There is no blame on the players; they performed as we wanted and created chances. It's true we lacked finishing, while Barcelona made the most of fewer opportunities. I am very proud and happy with my team.”

Despite the loss, Simeone described the result as “fair,” adding: “They scored two goals, we scored one. Yes, it’s a fair result. We have some things to improve.”

Julian Alvarez faced criticism for missing several clear chances, despite assisting Simeone's goal. The Argentine coach defended him, saying: “He played an important role, set up Giuliano’s goal, and had three chances. We will wait for him because he is a great player. To reach where we want, we need Julian at his best. He has our full support.”

Commenting on the team's second consecutive defeat after the Bayern Munich match, Simeone stressed the need for calm, saying: “Calm is needed, nothing more.”