Diego Simeone affirmed that Atlético Madrid’s 2–1 victory over Real Madrid was fully deserved based on the match’s flow and his side’s dominance, rejecting attempts to attribute the result solely to controversial refereeing decisions.
“The match was clear; there was a team that dominated, a team that knew how to capitalize on key moments, and another team that failed to create the scoring chances it usually creates,” Simeone stated.
Atlético approached the opening stages cautiously while containing Real Madrid’s transition threats, establishing control over possession and denying space to Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior. The first half concluded goalless despite intense physical duels.
In the second half, Giuliano Simeone’s run drew the penalty and Dean Huijsen’s red card before Alejandro Grimaldo converted the opening goal. Rather than retreating into a defensive shell, Atlético maintained pressure and added a second through Jonathan David following a cross from Giuliano Simeone.
Atlético recorded 18 shots compared to Real Madrid’s eight and held 61% possession. They came close to adding a third goal, only for Thibaut Courtois to deny Cuti Romero’s header before Antonio Rüdiger intervened to block Julián Álvarez’s follow-up effort.
Responding to José Mourinho’s criticisms of the officiating, Simeone remarked: “A line should never be crossed, regardless of who you are—Mourinho, Flick, Pellegrini, myself, or anyone else. We must be careful with what we say.”
The Argentine manager explained that he preferred not to dissect individual refereeing decisions, noting that referees might make calls favoring one side in a match and decisions against them in others, while emphasizing the absolute necessity of maintaining respect.
The result earned Atlético their third consecutive league victory following a 3–0 win over Real Sociedad and a 4–0 triumph against Osasuna, elevating their tally to 16 points and moving them into second place, five points behind leaders Barcelona. Following the international break, Simeone’s side will face Alavés in La Liga, followed by a UEFA Champions League encounter with Manchester United and a trip to Espanyol.
