Diego Simeone (foto: Screenshot)
Diego Simeone secured his first win at Camp Nou as Atletico beat Barcelona 2-0, but left the pitch immediately without greeting opponents or Hansi Flick.
Diego Simeone finally achieved what had eluded him for years, leading Atletico Madrid to a 2-0 victory over Barcelona at Camp Nou in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals.
The result gives Atletico a strong advantage ahead of the return leg at the Wanda Metropolitano, especially after Barcelona were reduced to ten men in the 44th minute following Pau Cubarsí’s red card.
For Simeone, the win carries special significance.
Since taking charge of Atletico in 2011, the Argentine has won two La Liga titles, but had never managed to beat Barcelona away until now.
This time, his team showed discipline and precision, taking full advantage of the numerical superiority to secure a crucial result.
However, his reaction after the final whistle drew attention.
Simeone immediately headed straight for the tunnel, without shaking hands with Hansi Flick or Barcelona players, choosing instead to go directly to the dressing room.
After the match, he focused on the difficulty of the challenge and the importance of efficiency.
"It's very difficult to win at this stadium. I'm sorry we didn't do more damage to them when we were one man down," he said for Movistar.
"In football, precision is the most important thing, and we were precise today."
He also highlighted a recurring pattern in matches against Barcelona.
"We've caused Barcelona problems in every game because we know they have a high-level defence. We always create a lot of chances against them and score."
Despite the strong result, Simeone remains cautious ahead of the second leg.
"I'm sure they'll give us a lot of trouble on Tuesday," he concluded.
The tie is now firmly in Atletico’s hands, but the coach’s reaction shows he expects another demanding battle.