Mar 14, 2025, 01:35 PM ET
Atlético Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher stated on Friday that the staff has moved on from the painful Champions League go out in opposition to Actual Madrid in a arguable penalty shootout on Wednesday.
Gallagher stated he has already put his focal point on any other an important recreation that awaits on Sunday, this time in opposition to Barcelona in a good LaLiga leaders race.
“It [Champions League] is a efficiency to be pleased with and we are gonna take that feeling that we had from the loss and take it into our subsequent fit as motivation,” Gallagher informed ESPN. “Possibly we did not have all of the good fortune in that recreation, which is unlucky, however you’ll say that numerous occasions this season we did.”
Atlético prevailed 1-0 on the Metropolitano on Wednesday because of Gallagher’s early purpose, levelling the tie at 2-2, however Actual went via in a penalty shootout to stand Arsenal within the quarterfinals.
“In fact it may be tricky at the psychological aspect of items to recover from a loss like we did and ensure we’re 100 ready for one of these giant recreation, however we will be able to use it as motivation and hearth to provide our very best efficiency in opposition to Barcelona as a result of they’re the staff to overcome.”
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Atlético are some extent in the back of each Barcelona and Actual Madrid within the three-way struggle for the trophy, with Barça having performed one much less fit.
Diego Simeone’s staff can’t have enough money to lose on Sunday, and should briefly recover from the excruciating defeat of Wednesday’s UCL “derby.”
Atlético misplaced in a penalty shootout after Julián Álvarez’s spot kick used to be disallowed for a double contact. Just a video assessment noticed the primary touch when Álvarez’s make stronger foot slid and gently nudged the ball sooner than he impacted it along with his different foot and despatched it into the web.
“What took place, took place, sadly. It could possibly occur to any person,” Gallagher stated. “Clearly this is a disgrace that it needed to occur at that second however it’s soccer and this stuff can occur.”
Gallagher stated he used to be now not conscious about the UEFA assessment, however added that it used to be meaningless for his staff and pointless to live upon it.
“If he [Álvarez] touched it two times then what can the ref do?” Gallagher stated. “It’s what it’s. If there are laws there, the ones are the foundations.
“The sport is finished so it does not alternate the rest.”
Simeone, on the other hand, conceded that overcoming the loss could be tricky.
“In truth, it’s not simple to recover from the best way we misplaced this tie. We will be able to’t misinform ourselves,” Simeone stated after the fit.
Simeone stated that Barcelona can have a bonus each bodily and emotionally after Hansi Flick’s aspect were given an additional day’s relaxation following its victory over Benfica on Tuesday to advance to the Champions League quarterfinals.
Conor Gallagher’s purpose for Atleti vs. Actual Madrid after 27 seconds used to be the quickest purpose ever scored by way of an English participant within the historical past of the contest. (Photograph by way of JAVIER SORIANO/AFP by means of Getty Pictures)
“We are facing an ideal rival on Sunday. I symbol the Barcelona’s gamers had been in need of our recreation to move so long as it might, to achieve consequences,” Simeone stated. “We can arrive drained and beat up after having fought onerous in a tie that demanded we give it our all, however we can throw the entirety we have now left [at Barcelona].”
Atlético have offered an ideal problem to Barcelona two times this season. Past due targets by way of Alexander Sorloth snatched a 2-1 win at Barcelona within the league and a 4-4 draw within the opening leg in their Copa del Rey semifinal.
“We understand how Barcelona can play and so they play so smartly as a staff so we understand how targeted we want to be defensively to take a look at to not concede,” Gallagher stated. “And we want to do our stuff with the ball as smartly to take a look at to create probabilities and ranking and ensure we’re all at the identical recreation plan and I’m certain we have now a great opportunity.”
Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski stated his staff he had grown from that league loss to Atlético in December.
“I believe that at first of the 12 months after the video games, now not simplest in opposition to Atlético at house but additionally two video games, or 3 video games sooner than that we did not play smartly,” he informed ESPN.
“We all know that we need to take the lesson from those video games and take a look at to do that higher in the second one a part of the season and I believe we discovered so much.
“I believe and I am hoping that this season, the second one phase, on account of this era, what took place in December can assist us so much.”
Barcelona have long gone unbeaten in 17 instantly video games over all competitions since that loss to Atlético in past due December.
Gallagher stated that Barcelona have regained best shape and are enjoying like a staff to overcome.
“They went via a difficult patch at one level however everybody can see this season they have got been good, so we all know what they may be able to do and we want ot be absolutely able for his or her risk and I’m certain we can be,” he stated.
Atlético will even host Barcelona subsequent month to make a decision their Copa del Rey semifinal.
Data from The Related Press used to be used on this file.
