Under the management of Diego Simeone, the team struggled to cope with the Portuguese side, who were relentless in punishing every mistake, even coming close to scoring a fifth goal at Estadio da Luz in Lisbon.
In his post-match analysis, Simeone expressed his disappointment, stating, “We didn’t manage the game well. Benfica were very effective with all our errors, and we must congratulate them. We had been doing well since pre-season, and today we experienced the kind of match you hope never occurs.
“We saw it in the first half, and in the second half, we lost our grip on the game.”
Simeone made substitutions at half-time, knowing the importance of players like Koke, Antoine Griezmann, and Rodrigo De Paul. However, their impact was quickly undermined by a penalty and a set-piece goal from Benfica. “These are nights that serve little in terms of learning,” he reflected.
Refusing to make excuses, Simeone took full responsibility, saying, “We didn’t play well, and the responsibility lies with me. The substitutes didn’t have the desired impact, and it was a poor performance all round. We need to recharge for our next game on Sunday.”
He acknowledged that while there was no lack of effort or intensity, the team’s execution was poor. “We simply played badly, and when you do that, you leave yourself open to defeat. Benfica were clinical, and we were not.”
On the absence of defender Robin Le Normand, he noted, “There are special players who make a difference, and Le Normand is one of them. While (Jose Maria) Gimenez performed well, football is a collective effort, and Robin’s defensive contributions are different.”
Simeone admitted that their tactical plan failed to yield results. “Everything we aimed to implement was poorly executed. There’s no real explanation; it was just a bad day for us. Nothing went right, passes were misplaced, and we lost possession far too easily.”
He urged his team to remain positive despite the loss. “We always work to improve and win, but some days, like today, the plans simply don’t come together. Full credit to Benfica for their performance. It’s been a tough day for us, but we must lift our heads and keep working.”
Looking ahead, Simeone emphasized the need to focus on winning matches, regardless of the competition format. “We don’t concern ourselves with the system; we need to win games. In football, as in life, things happen, and when they don’t go our way, we must continue to work hard.”
Reflecting on the defeat, he concluded, “There will be days when things go awry. We have many matches ahead, and while this one was tough, it’s important to lift our heads and keep striving for improvement.”
