Simeone after defeat to Bilbao: the match slipped away from us in two minutes

Diego Simeone, the Argentine manager of Atlético, confirmed that his team put in a good first half during their 3-0 defeat to Athletic Bilbao in the fourth round of La Liga, but they lost control of the match at the start of the second half.

He said: "I think the first half was very good for us. The only problem is that we were not effective in finishing the chances created by the team."

He continued: "In the second half, we lost the match in just five minutes, in fact, I believe that two minutes were enough to change everything. They showed great decisiveness and took full advantage of the circumstances in those two moments."

Atlético's coach noted that Athletic Bilbao retreated after taking the lead and became more organized in defense, making it harder for his team to get back into the match.

Regarding the opportunities in the second half, he said: "We faced difficulty in creating danger, except for a clear chance for Julián, but the goalkeeper saved it brilliantly."

Regarding what his team lacked in the first half, Simeone said: "We missed decisiveness, and that touch of luck that always helps you in football when you manage to score."

Diego Simeone addressed Atlético's players' protest regarding the ball going out of play before Athletic's first goal, stating: "Honestly, I don't think that moment was decisive. There was a long attack, and regardless of whether the ball went out or not, we could have dealt with the attack better before it ended in a goal."