Diego Simeone hints at Atletico Madrid exit after shock defeat
Diego Simeone hints at Atletico Madrid exit as he claims he will make amends for shock Copa del Rey defeat by third-tier minnows Cornella ‘if we are still here next year’
- Diego Simeone has hinted he could be in his final year at Atletico Madrid
- LaLiga’s leaders fell to a shock cup defeat away from home on Wednesday
- But Atleti are two points clear in the league with games in hand on rivals Real
Diego Simeone hinted that this could be his final season at Atletico Madrid after watching his side fall to a shock defeat in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday night.
LaLiga’s leaders were dumped out away at third-tier minnows Cornella thanks to an Adrian Jimenez volley, with right back Ricard Sanchez sent off midway though the second half.
Simeone rested a number of first team stars but still found room for the likes of Joao Felix, Renan Lodi, Jose Gimenez, Saul Niguez, Felipe and Angel Correa.
Diego Simeone has hinted that this could be his final season at Atletico Madrid
Atletico were dumped out of the Copa del Rey by minnows Cornella on Wednesday night
Speaking after a second successive knockout by a third division side, following last year’s defeat by Cultural Leonesa, Simeone admitted: ‘We always want to win but today our opponents deserved to go through, just like last year.
‘They competed well, they played the game they wanted to, they won the second balls, they kept up their intensity and we have to congratulate them as they overpowered us.’
He cryptically added that he would try to make amends for their poor Cup performances ‘if we are still here next year’.
‘Things change all the time in football, and you have to be open to all possibilities. I’m very happy here but you have to be open to whatever the club decides,’ Simeone, who has a contract until 2022, added.
Simeone named a strong side including Joao Felix (left) and said he would make amends ‘if we are still here next year’
Midfielder Saul apologised to supporters, saying: ‘They played their game and they were better than us. We have to say sorry to our fans, we never want to go out of any competition but in the last couple of years these one off games are not going well for us.’
Simeone will mark 10 years in charge of Atleti in December this year and is looking to claim his second LaLiga title there this season.
Atletico are two points clear of rivals Real Madrid at the top of the table and crucially have two games in hand.
Simeone also led Atletico to Europa League glory in 2018.
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