Diego Simeone was in characteristically blunt form on Monday evening during his pre-match press conference at the Emirates Stadium. Ahead of the Champions League semi-final second leg against Arsenal, “El Cholo” dismissed talk of “hexes” and headlines, focusing instead on the psychological grit needed to reach the final in Budapest.
With the tie locked at 1-1 following the first leg at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Simeone looked like a man perfectly at home in the high-stakes environment of a European semi-final.
Logistics over Luck
The press conference took a humorous turn when Simeone was grilled about Atletico’s decision to switch hotels for this London trip. After suffering a heavy 4-0 defeat to Arsenal in the group stages back in October, rumors swirled that the superstitious manager had moved the team to change their luck.
“We are better now than in October and now the hotel is cheaper,” Simeone replied with a grin, drawing laughter from the assembled media. The Argentine made it clear that while fans and journalists might look for omens, his focus is purely on the 90 minutes of football ahead.
Managing the “Beast”
Responding indirectly to Mikel Arteta’s earlier call for his players to play like “beasts,” Simeone emphasized the importance of emotional control. The veteran coach, who is reaching his fourth semi-final in 14 years, believes that composure will be more valuable than raw aggression in North London.
“The reality is that both the players and the staff just want the match to start,” Simeone noted. “Experience and time give you more composure—not passivity, but the peace of mind to face a match like tomorrow’s. Whoever plays better will have a better chance. We need to manage emotions the best possible way.”
Four-Man Injury Boost
The most significant news for the Rojiblancos was the confirmation of their 25-man traveling squad, which includes four key players who had been major doubts:
• Julian Alvarez: The former City man, who scored the crucial equalizer in the first leg, is in the squad after shaking off an ankle injury.
• Jose Maria Gimenez: The experienced center-back returns after missing the last eight matches, providing a massive boost to the defense.
• Alexander Sorloth & Giuliano Simeone: Both attackers are back in the fold after missing the weekend win over Valencia with minor knocks.
Simeone remained coy on who would start, particularly regarding Alvarez: “Julian is Julian in these kinds of important matches. He knows the English league very well. Tomorrow we’ll decide who starts.”
Atletico Madrid Predicted XI
Formation: 5-3-2
Lineup: Oblak; Molina, Le Normand, Gimenez, Hancko, Ruggeri; Koke, Llorente, Almada; Griezmann, Alvarez.
