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Nagelsmann avoids Champions League title talk, plays down Simeone spat

SoccerNews in Ligue 1 14 Aug 2020

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RB Leipzig head coach Julian Nagelsmann dismissed talk about winning the Champions League title after his side upstaged Atletico Madrid to reach the semi-finals.

Tyler Adams’ deflected strike with two minutes of regulation remaining saw Leipzig top Atletico 2-1 in Lisbon on Thursday.

Dani Olmo’s 50th-minute opener was cancelled out by Atletico star Joao Felix’s penalty with 19 minutes remaining, but Adams’ 88th-minute effort proved the last word as Leipzig reached the last four of the competition for the first time.

Leipzig will face Ligue 1 powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain in Tuesday’s semi after becoming the first German club outside of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund to make it to the semi-finals since Schalke in 2010-11.

Speaking post-match, Nagelsmann told reporters: “I’m not going to say anything about the title. But of course, we do want to reach the final now.

“That’s just normal, I think. If we get there, we can speak about other things.”

“The team as a whole beat Tottenham [in the last 16] before and now Atletico,” said Nagelsmann. “It’s not about duels between coaches – not against [Jose] Mourinho, not against [Diego] Simeone and now not against [PSG coach Thomas] Tuchel either. It is a team game and the guys did brilliantly today.”

Nagelsmann also revealed he had a half-time spat with Diego Simeone, though the 33-year-old German played down the incident as he hailed the Atletico boss.

“Simeone congratulated me afterwards, it was very sincere. He said, it was a great game and a deserved wind for us,” added Nagelsmann.

“At half-time we had a little spat, but that wasn’t very serious. He’s just an incredible winner who even wants to win on the way to the dressing room.

“But that’s not bad, I actually want to point out that I think he’s personality as a coach is awesome. So, everything’s fine.”

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