Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid endured a nightmare evening at the Emirates, suffering a 0-4 defeat to Arsenal in the Champions League group stage, with the Argentine coach admitting that "individual errors cost the team dearly."
Atletico started reasonably well and almost took the lead early in the second half when Julian Alvarez hit the crossbar. However, that moment marked the turning point that triggered the nightmare. Within 13 minutes,the Spanish side completely collapsed under the relentless assault of the “Gunners.”.
Goals from Gabriel, Gabriel Martinelli, and a double from Viktor Gyokeres overwhelmed Atletico, marking their second defeat in just three matches in this season's Champions League , following their opening loss to Liverpool.
Simeone said in the post-match press conference: “We played very well until Arsenal scored the first goal, but after that, we couldn’t compete anymore. Sometimes the difference lies in small details, controlling the game or losing it, but that’s not bad luck, it’s mistakes. They took full advantage of our errors, and every big chance they had turned into a goal.”
The Argentine coach also pointed out moments that could have changed the game: “Julian Alvarez almost scored in the first half and then hit the crossbar again in the second half. We fought with good spirit; this is a lesson to learn—you need to be calm and efficient in every phase of the match.”
Simeone frankly admitted that individual mistakes caused his team to collapse: “It was about losing a player during a set-piece, it was a lack of aggression on the third goal. Such small details can turn the tide of a game. Some situations can be resolved collectively, but when it comes down to individual decisions, it’s very hard to fix.”
With this result, Arsenal continue their dominant form in Europe by winning all three matches so far and temporarily share the top spot in the group with PSG and Inter Milan. Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid, twice Champions League finalists (2014, 2016), have dropped to 18th place, facing the risk of only qualifying for the playoff round if they don’t improve.
Simeone and his players will have a chance to redeem themselves when they host Belgian club Union Saint-Gilloise at home on November 4th.