Baena: Koke's mother's death was a shock, and I'm in my best form

Álex Baena, Atlético player and man of the match, spoke after his team's 2-0 victory over Manchester United in the second round of the UEFA Champions League, addressing the team's mental state following the news of Koke's mother's passing, as well as his assessment of the match and his personal performance.

Álex Baena said regarding the death of Koke's mother: "We learned about it this morning, and it was a big shock for him and for us. Koke is our captain, our reference, and our role model. We hope he can process everything that has happened a little, and that he can return to us in a few days so we can support and embrace him in the best way possible."

Speaking about the superiority over Manchester United: "The team has great players capable of deciding the match thanks to their individual abilities, but we delivered a great performance."

Álex Baena spoke about his current form, saying: "For me, I am at my best for a long time, and I have a lot of confidence. I will continue to work so I don't lose this level."

He concluded his remarks regarding the disallowed goal by Joni Cardoso due to a handball by Llorente: "I didn't see the incident well. It's true that Pablo told us he thought while watching the match live that the ball touched the hand, but I didn't see it myself."