‘If you don’t like it, buy your own club’: Atletico Madrid president defends Diego Simeone from fans’ criticism
La Liga side were knocked out of the Champions League by RB Leipzig in Thursday’s quarter-final
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Atletico Madrid fans who were critical of coach Diego Simeone’s tactics should go out and buy their own club and pick their own starting 11, president Enrique Cerezo said on Friday after his club’s Champions League quarter-final exit to RB Leipzig.
Cerezo was disappointed with the 2-1 defeat to the unfancied German side but, whilst admitting there was plenty of criticism at the moment for Simeone, he added that he was not paying much attention to the dissenting voices.
“Simeone is not untouchable and many disagreed with him yesterday. He is the one who picks the team and if you don’t like it then go and buy your own club, build your own team and choose your own XI,” Cerezo said.
Simeone is Atletico’s second-longest serving coach of all time and has a contract until 2022 with the club, who he has taken to two Champions League finals, two Europa League triumphs as well as a La Liga title and one Copa del Rey.
Atletico have also finished in Spain’s top three in the last eight campaigns.
“We are remaining calm, the game didn’t go as planned and we have to go home but we’re relaxed about everything else. I think we still have a good team, it wasn’t our night,” Cerezo told reporters.
“The fans are frustrated and it’s bad because the truth is we weren’t expecting a result like that. But that’s football, these things happen.
“I think we have had a very good season, we’ve finished in the top three in La Liga and qualified for the Champions League, which is no easy thing to do.”
Reuters
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