Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone has dismissed talk of added pressure in trying to win its first Champions League crown, insisting it was a responsibility rather than a burden as it prepares to host Arsenal in Wednesday’s semifinal first leg.
Atletico has reached three European Cup finals in its history — two during Simeone’s nearly 15-year tenure — but has never lifted the continent’s top prize. It is the only team to lose three finals without having won the competition.
This season has offered little domestic comfort, with the club fourth in La Liga, 25 points behind leader Barcelona and effectively out of the title race since January.
Defeat on penalties to Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey final less than two weeks ago has left the Champions League as Atletico’s sole remaining shot at silverware this season, and it could be heading for five trophyless seasons in a row.
Yet Simeone was in no mood to look back at past failures after defeats by Bayern Munich (1974) and Real Madrid (2014, 2016) in the final of Europe’s elite club competition.
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“There’s no pressure, there’s a sense of responsibility, and there’s a special sense of anticipation,” he told a press conference on Tuesday.
“At the end of the day, it’s a football match, and the players are the ones who decide the outcome. We have to prepare well. We want to play the game we’ve envisaged and take the match to a stage where we can cause Arsenal problems,” he added.
Asked whether the competition owed Atletico something after three final defeats, Simeone said, “We’re all human. If you ask us, everyone has a different opinion. But a competition doesn’t owe anyone anything. Things have to be earned and achieved. You have to work hard, go out and get them and hope Lady Luck is on your side.”
The Argentine pointed to Atletico’s approach in recent knockout ties as its greatest asset.
“What we’ve been doing in the knockout stages, whether in the (Spanish) Cup or the Champions League … Playing with intensity, with our style of play, with our attacking initiative. That’s how we’ll go about it,” he said.
For a club chasing a first Champions League crown, there is a temptation to dream but Simeone prefers deeds to daydreams.
“Dreaming is all well and good, but reality is what happens on the ground. Reality is what we do and what God wills. That’s how we behave. We’re in another semifinal. It’s extraordinary to reach it for the fourth time in 14 years. It’s incredible. That faith, that excitement, that infectious spirit will do us a world of good. We’re facing a tough match, but we’re going there full of hope,” Simeone said.
Lookman doubtful for Atletico against Arsenal
Simeone said on Tuesday that Nigeria striker Ademola Lookman was still a doubt to start at Metropolitano Stadium.
“We’ll see if he recovers well tomorrow,” said Simeone, who turned 56 on Tuesday. “He still has some discomfort.”
Lookman has seven goals for Atletico since arriving, one of them in the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinal against Barcelona, when Atletico advanced 3-2 on aggregate.
“His arrival has made a very positive impact on the team,” Simeone said. “He brings new things to our attack. He has been working much better in the defensive phase as well.”
(With inputs from AP)
Published on Apr 28, 2026
