SOCCER: Numbers speak for themselves, says Simeone, as Atletico reach last eight again

LONDON – Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone praised his team’s performance after guiding them into the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals for the eighth time in 13 seasons.

Despite a 3-2 loss at Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday, Atletico advanced with a 7-5 aggregate win, setting up a last-eight clash with Barcelona.

“Sometimes you don’t need to say anything, the numbers speak for themselves,” Simeone told reporters. “It’s a moment to be happy as a club, as a team, with the joy of our fans, who will celebrate this step towards the quarter-finals. When you get here, the road will be tough, as in previous situations where we reached the final.”

Atletico, who had a three-goal cushion from the first leg in Madrid, struggled to maintain control on Wednesday. Goals from Julian Alvarez and David Hancko helped secure the win as Tottenham threatened a comeback.

“The effort was enormous. The team didn’t start well; the three-goal lead didn’t help. We equalized, then it was 2-1, we equalized again, we had chances to close it out, and then came the final penalty. The draw was what we deserved,” Simeone said.

Barcelona, who went one better than Atletico in the last 16, scored eight goals over two legs against Newcastle United, seven of them on Wednesday. As LaLiga leaders, they will be favorites in the quarter-finals, but Simeone’s side will take confidence from their two-legged Copa del Rey semi-final victory over Barcelona.

“It will be difficult because we’ll be facing the best attacking team in Europe, but we’ll have the enthusiasm to compete,” Simeone added.

After surviving a scare at Tottenham, Atletico faces a busy schedule, including an away match at Real Madrid in LaLiga and three games against Barcelona in their next four fixtures—once in the league and twice in the Champions League—after the international break. -Reporting by Martyn HermanEditing by Toby Davis/Reuters