Simeone: ´Adverse goal´ ended Atletico run

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone has urged his team to move on from their 1-0 loss to Espanyol on Saturday.

Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois’ unlucky own goal on 53 minutes saw Atletico drop points for the first time this season.

It ended their run of eight straight wins to start the league campaign and, with Barcelona playing out a scoreless draw at Osasuna, slip a point behind the La Liga leaders.

Simeone, whose team face Austria Vienna on Tuesday, said his side tried their all to find an equaliser at Estadio Cornella-El Prat.

“It doesn’t hurt because it’s part of the game. We have always said our goal is to go match by match,” he said.

“Today, we faced an adverse goal, but in the second half the team tried to draw in different ways and that was important.

“We didn’t moan, but looked – maybe not too clearly – for a way to the goal.”

Simeone lamented Diego Costa’s missed chance in the second half, but could not fault the efforts of his players.

“I think that the clearest chance was Diego Costa’s, which could have taken us to equalise, but the effort was there,” he said.

“In the second half we had 30 minutes to try, but it was impossible. Just congratulate the rival and get ready for Tuesday’s match – a difficult one as well.”

Simeone said his side were always going to find it difficult after falling behind, with Courtois diverting a Juan Fuentes cross into his own net with his left foot.

“It was a locked match, tough as expected. The first team to score was going to be more comfortable,” Simeone said.

“In first half we struggled to find the game although we didn’t suffer in defence and we had Koke’s shot to the post and Diego Costa’s chance to score.

“In the second half, after their goal, we tried to equalise with different variants, but the goal didn’t arrive.”