For all the excuses — and there have been many — one line from Antoine Griezmann cut straight to the heart of the matter after Atletico Madrid’s Club World Cup elimination.
“We have to look at ourselves and see that there are times when we are not at the level and we have to resolve that,” said the veteran French forward.
Griezmann’s goal earned Atletico a 1-0 win over Botafogo on Monday but the Brazilian side progressed ahead of the Spaniards on goal difference to reach the Club World Cup last 16.
Atletico were left licking their wounds, just like they were after failing to win a major trophy this season.
Their controversial Champions League last 16 elimination by Real Madrid after Julian Alvarez’s “double-touch” penalty left Atletico raging at referees, UEFA and their arch-rivals.
They spiralled and blamed that for their capitulation in La Liga, which they led at Christmas, while Simeone insisted a Copa del Rey semi-final defeat by Barcelona was something the club had to accept.
“We are trying to keep improving to get closer and closer to the teams above us and to accept the place we are,” said the Argentine coach.
However Atletico, who won La Liga in 2014 and 2021, and finished runners-up in the 2014 and 2016 Champions League final, have been far closer to the elite than they are right now.
Some players at the club understand that, like Griezmann and goalkeeper Jan Oblak, while others do not seem to.
“We’ll keep rattling the cages of those at the top,” pledged Marcos Llorente after the group stage elimination in the United States.
Atletico were upset that some penalty appeals were ignored during the win over Botafogo in Pasadena.
“I’ve never seen anything like it, to be honest, I think we should have been awarded two penalties,” complained winger Giuliano Simeone, the coach’s son.
“I think the decisions are not favouring us at all — in all the debatable ones, we have to play against that.”
It was Atletico’s opening 4-0 thrashing by Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain that cost them qualification and also showed how far they are from the game’s peak.
Simeone has been in charge since 2011 and many would say he is the greatest coach in the club’s history, but in recent years questions have grown around whether he is the man to drive Atletico further.
The last trophy they won was La Liga four years ago.
“I’m sad to be eliminated, we got six points from three games. We won two,” said Simeone.
As has so often proven the case in recent years, it was not enough.
In some quarters of the Spanish media, former Rojiblanco defender Filipe Luis, coach of Brazilian side Flamengo — who have made it through to the last 16 — has been linked as a future Atletico coach.
“They’ve had a long season… let’s hope the next one is better for them,” said retired Atletico great Sergio Aguero, but with the team not progressing, some fans are losing their hope.
Griezmann, who signed a new contract with Atletico at the start of the summer and ended a 18-game goal drought against Botafogo, believes it will take elbow grease.
“It takes work, and it’s a problem deeper and more to do within the team than the referees,” he added, as Atletico packed their bags for home.
“We have to focus on what we have to improve, on what we have to do to win these games.”
