‘At times we were not even close to stopping them’: Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez delivers a blunt assessment of his team’s display after being dumped out of the Champions League by RB Leipzig
- RB Leipzig sent Atletico Madrid crashing out of the Champions League
- Goals from Dani Olmo and Tyler Adams mean they advance to the semi-finals
- Saul Niguez said Leipzig were superior during Atletico’s disappointing defeat
Saul Niguez has criticised Atletico Madrid’s display after they were knocked out of the Champions League by RB Leipzig.
Hopes were high for Diego Simeone’s side after coming off the back of knocking holders Liverpool out in the round of 16 just before football was put on hold due to covid-19.
But they struggled against Leipzig and despite a penalty from Joao Felix giving them hope, goals from Dani Olmo and Tyler Adams ended their Champions League dreams for another season.
Saul Niguez said Atletico Madrid at times were ‘not even close’ to stopping RB Leipzig
Diego Simeone saw his side dumped out of the Champions League in disappointing fashion
Niguez delivered a blunt assessment of his side’s performance during his post-match interview.
As per Football Espana he told El Chiringuito: ‘It hurts to lose, but our rivals were better in the game. They raised the tempo and we did not know how to react.
‘They were superior to us, and at times we were not even close to stopping them.’
Niguez’s comments were echoed by team-mate Koke who admitted his team were outplayed.
He said: ‘They were better and more intense throughout the whole game. We have to congratulate them for that.
‘We had a lot of hopes of winning the Champions League, however, they were better tonight. But we will recover and come back from this.’
Goalscorers Dani Olmo and Tyler Adams celebrate RB Leipzig’s victory over Atletico Madrid
Many fancied Simeone’s side to advance to the semi-finals to play Paris Saint-Germain in the next round.
However their defeat is the latest in a poor run in recent Champions League campaigns with just one semi-final appearance in the last five seasons.
It also means the frustration carries on for Simeone as his side have past made two finals but are still longing to get to the final hurdle and finally conquer the competition.
With that result it means Leipzig will face PSG instead on August 18, with Barcelona or Bayern Munich taking on either Manchester City or Lyon in the second semi-final.