Diego Simeone reacts to Julián Álvarez’s apology to Atlético Madrid

Atlético Madrid coach Diego Simeone spoke to praise goalscorer and match winner Julián Álvarez, who followed up on his second goal in a week by scoring against Deportivo A Coruña in a 1-0 win with an apology to fans.

“I really value it when people apologise, because apologising isn’t easy, and when someone does so from the heart, from an emotional place, based on how they truly feel, I value it immensely,” Someone reflected.

“Julián is a wonderful guy, a humble guy, a hard-working guy, a guy who cares for his teammates, a guy who is very respectful, and I’m truly grateful for his apology because it shows him for the person he is,” he added.

Diego Simeone on the game

“To be honest, it was a tough, difficult match. In the first half we struggled to get into the game; we couldn’t regain possession. When the team had the ball, we couldn’t play the sort of game we’d envisaged, and we went into the break feeling uncomfortable with the way we were performing. We made a couple of changes. I think the changes improved us; they gave us more strength and energy to press a bit higher up the pitch, to create the sort of game we wanted to create – which was to create chances to score. The goal came; I think we had three good chances to score, along with a few deflected shots that were also dangerous, and we got on the right track in a match that just wouldn’t be wrapped up because 1–0 is always a tight margin. That’s why we brought on Sørloth, to give us more firepower up front, which he did, but we couldn’t seal the win and we panicked in the last four or five minutes, when a team realises the match is slipping away and goes all out for an equaliser. La Coruña could have equalised with the very last move, but this time luck was on our side and that goal didn’t end up on the scoreboard.”

Simeone on the significance of Julián Álvarez’s gesture

“Look, honestly, it’s not for me to judge whether it was right or wrong. Life goes on, situations arise, and everyone has to deal with whatever actually comes their way. This has happened, and so be it. And, obviously, I’ll reiterate what I said in my previous answer.”

Simeone on the Metropolitano’s support for Julián

“Julián played a brilliant match; the fans cheered the goal just as they would for a goal by their own team, whether it’s Julián who scores or anyone else. And, obviously, they appreciated the effort Julián put in during the match because he played a very, very good game at an extremely high level. He replicated the performance he put in the other day in the Champions League. And, well, we’re seeing the best of Julián. And, as I said recently, for the objectives we have with the club and for what our fans want, we need Julián Álvarez to be like this.”

Simeone on Julián’s relationship with the dressing room

“The truth is that we’ve taken it all in our stride because he’s a likeable guy, a guy who’s always behaved well, whom we know very well and we’re all aware of the challenges he’s had to face. He’s always behaved well towards us; he’s always been very respectful towards the players, his team-mates, the fitness coaches, the medical staff, the press and our own people, giving his all on the pitch. And, well, I think that, in this way, he’s obviously returning to the form he showed last season.”

Simeone on three points and Julián’s return to form

“I’m very happy with today’s result. To be honest, we won a match that was very tricky at the start. We had a great second half and, thank God, Julián got on the scoresheet, just as he did in Stuttgart, to earn us a point the other day and three today.”