What did the team lack?
For me we played a very good game until minute 70, where Ceballos’ foul, nobody cares if he doesn’t receive the second yellow card, but we would have stayed with one more with the result in our favour. It didn’t happen, then Savic was sent off, we were left with one less. Until Rodrygo’s goal, in a fantastic individual action, the team generated great things, played, had it and as the game progressed it became difficult to sustain with one less despite the fact that, even so, the team sought a draw and met with the match I was looking for. I leave extremely calm with the effort of the players and the image that the team gave.
What went to talk to Soto Grado?
I asked him, because it already happened in San Sebastián that Morata was not whistled for a foul. I told him that if he had something against Álvaro, I wouldn’t play the next match that he would referee for us, because it’s very difficult. He told me that Álvaro exaggerates his falls, but I ate the one that Morata had to leave due to the blow. Nobody cares about what didn’t happen, we’re talking about something that didn’t happen, Ceballos could see the yellow card, he didn’t see it, Savic did. Madrid is happy, we are not because of the result, but happy with how we competed.
Was the arbitration decisive?
Decisive are the players who play and Madrid in this situation was once again superior in front of goal in the important moments of the game. We had chances, that of Griezmann, Carrasco, Memphis… But when they compete like this there are few things to claim from the team. Try to continue this way. We are out of the Champions League, the Cup and we have the second round left to reach the goal that the club needs.
How is the team?
I am happy when we behave as we behave today as a team. We were left out of the Champions League, the Copa del Rey, the team has a whole second round ahead. I am enormously happy to be at Atlético from the day I arrived and, until I leave, I am going to leave everything giving myself a thousand per thousand for the team and the club.
What can you say to the fans outside of the Champions League and Cup?
Without titles I have little left to say. We do not have Champions, Cup and the first person in charge is me. But today I’m leaving happy, I liked the team, we competed well, we came to a field with one hundred of our fans, the rest of Madrid, and we competed very well. When the team wants to, it competes well, and that annoys me a bit, but it’s the reality, when the team wants to, it competes very well.
“I asked the referee if he had any personal problem with Morata”
Before the Argentine coach had revealed his feelings after the game on TVE:
How does the result leave you?
Fine. I saw a team that competed extraordinarily well. There were details that can be for or against, but it conditions everything. Nobody cares, but it is a reality.
What happened in the second half?
Madrid began to play. It is a team that plays well, that has a chance to attack you. We defended very well until Rodrygo’s great goal. Before there is a decisive play, which is that of Ceballos. It goes unnoticed and no one cares. He was able to leave us eleven against ten with 0-1 and I repeat, nobody cares. These are details that determine one side or the other. Then Savic was sent off and we still wanted to tie. We absolutely gave it our all. That leaves us calm, it makes us generate in these unique matches that we always take it to overtime, to a place of difficulty. It fills me with pride that we compete well. We wanted to win, obviously. Now we only have the League left and hope to finish the year well and analyze everything well afterwards.
Are you upset with the referee?
I’ll tell you what I told the referee, if he had any personal problem with Morata because he didn’t whistle for a foul. It is true that Morata exaggerates some falls, but not one whistled him. He understood that he had thrown himself in all but one.
Are you worried that the season will be long?
I have one thing on my mind. Work with enthusiasm, giving the maximum from the day I arrive until I have to leave. I will seek to give my best until that day that will come at some point.
When?
At some point it will come.