Atletico Madrid fought off Real Madrid's advances for 88 minutes on Wednesday, but a skillful Cristiano Ronaldo pass and Javier Hernandez finish left Diego Simeone's club once more agnoisingly close to a famous European defeat of their rivals.
But the decisive moment in the Champions League quarter-final tie arguably came 12 minutes before Hernandez's goal, as Arda Turan questionably saw a second yellow card for a high challenge on Sergio Ramos.
“It doesn’t make any sense to have an opinion because the game is finished and anything I say can’t affect what has happened,” lamented Atletico manager Simeone.
The outcome was eerily familiar for the La Liga champions as a late goal from Ramos also denied them in last season’s Champions League final before Real romped to a 4-1 victory in extra time.
However, Simeone hailed the work rate of his side to once again push their much richer rivals all the way over 180 minutes.
“I go away proud of my team. Once more we competed very well in a very difficult competition like the Champions League,” he said.
“Competing as we did today, I am sure I have a team of men, a team that work hard. At times we can play better or worse, but I am so proud of the players and to be the coach of these guys who gave what they gave today.
“When I was a boy I was taught that in a game you have to compete and when you give everything and lose I would go home happy. When the team works like it did today there are no negative feelings.
“I think a lot of coaches would envy having players that run for 90 minutes despite the difficulties in front of them.
“We congratulate the opponents because they played very well and scored a great goal.”
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