Paris Saint-Germain and Atlético Madrid faced off this Sunday at the Rose Bowl Stadium as part of Day 1 of the 2025 World Cup. The match ended in a 4-0 Parisian victory (video summary PSG/Atlético Madrid). After the match, the Spanish team’s coach Diego Simeone spoke to DAZN. He complained about the refereeing and was annoyed to have his choices questioned. He then highlighted PSG’s financial resources. Without detracting from their superiority in the game, even if the match could have turned out differently.
Simeone: “The details are obvious”.
What was your analysis of the match?
“There were a bit of two games in this encounter. I think in the first half they were superior, especially in terms of controlling the game, not in terms of chances, they were convincing. They took the lead, then we had Griezmann’s chance and they led 2-0.
We went into the second half more competitive, we had this game that in a lot of situations he wasn’t called and let continue, in this case he was called by VAR to change the choice because he had let the game continue. We ended up with a man down and they took advantage of the opportunities they had.
I’m not going to talk about the recurring themes because we always seem to be victims and I don’t feel victimized by anything, on the contrary, we played against a better team who played better than us, but the details are obvious.
What did the team lack?
Having more ball, personality to play, we couldn’t get the ball back and have criteria in the game, be more patient and get them to the situation of defending and when we play with a team that attacks well, they take the ball away from you and don’t let you progress, it’s clear what’s happening. We could have equalised with Griezmann, 4-0 is a negative result and now we depend on ourselves for what lies ahead.
Simeone “they took out 70 million to recruit Kvaratskhelia.”
A bad choice with Griezmann?
Julián played as a number 9 and Griezmann as a second striker. You’re looking for a contradictory opinion but I don’t care. Griezmann had a great chance to score, and that’s why I put him on.
PSG are a great team of young players. When Luis Enrique needed a player on the left wing, they spent 70 million to recruit Kvaratskhelia in January. Then you have to get them playing, and this is a team that has always done that.
Simeone “It’s not that they didn’t try.
A lack of commitment?
“From the point of view of intent and commitment, I saw a team that always wanted to get there, but couldn’t. It’s not that they didn’t try. It’s not that they didn’t try, PSG were better, superior, they took the ball from us, didn’t let us escape the pressure, and I understand and see that the team held out, despite this difficult defeat.
Given everything that lies ahead of us, we’re obliged to get good results in these two games.”
