But while Wednesday’s 1-0 defeat at the Vicente Calderón makes Atleti favourites for a second Champions League final in three years, Guardiola has insisted his side are still in the tie.
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“It’s still wide open”, Simeone said. “He is very strong, good in the one-on-ones”.
Bayern’s inability to find an away goal means the tie has titled in Atletico’s favour ahead of next Tuesday’s second leg in Munich, when a similarly tight game is likely.
And Diego Simeone’s men kept their own fairy tale on track as they secured a narrow first-leg advantage over Pep Guardiola’s Bayern Munich. I’m not happy about the goal we conceded.
Bayern couldn t have made a worse start once more in the Spanish capital as, roared on by a vociferous support, Atletico flew out of the blocks early on. “From what I have experienced in Munich if we don’t win the Champions League the work won’t be complete”, he added.
Pep Guardiola’s side gained a measure of control after the interval, when they enjoyed more than three quarters of the possession. “It’s not a good result”.
This season, Atletico eliminated Barcelona in the quarterfinals of the Champions League and beat Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu in the Spanish league. It was the team’s ninth loss in 13 trips to Spain.
“We know how they are”. The closest that the visitors came to equalizing was in the 54th minute when left-back David Alaba hit the Atletico crossbar with a thumping 35-metre drive.
“In the second half we were better than the first, in which we did not go well”. “We created a lot of chances, but in the end, it was not enough”. Midfielder Saul danced his way through a number of Bayern defenders before curling an unstoppable left-footed shot around Manuel Neuer and inside the diving German goalkeeper’s far post.
“Saul scored a fantastic goal”.
Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce says Diego Simeone would not be appreciated if he came to manage in England.
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Because of the success of Guardiola’s successor in the competition, the popular view among football fans in Germany is that Guardiola will have failed if he doesn’t deliver Bayern the Champions League trophy this season.
