Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has made a bold statement following his side’s encounters with Arsenal, Liverpool, and Real Madrid early in the 2025/26 season. Known for their defensive resilience and counterattacking prowess, Simeone’s teams rarely suffer heavy defeats — but that reputation took a hit in north London on Tuesday night.
Mikel Arteta’s in-form Arsenal dismantled Atletico 4-0 at the Emirates Stadium, despite a goalless first half. The Gunners exploded after the break, netting four times in just 13 minutes. Gabriel opened the scoring with a header from a corner, Martinelli quickly made it two, and Viktor Gyökeres capped off the rout with a stunning brace. It was a dominant performance that sent a clear message to the rest of Europe.
After the match, Simeone openly praised Arsenal, admitting they were the strongest team his side had faced this season — even ahead of Real Madrid and Liverpool. Speaking to Amazon Prime, he said:
> “I would say they are the best team we have faced this season. They compete incredibly well, their players never stop running, and they have quality everywhere on the pitch. They fully deserved to win today. Congratulations to them. For us, it’s a lesson — we must keep improving. We started well, but from the 60th minute, they were clearly the better team.”
The veteran Argentine coach, one of the longest-serving managers in Europe, added:
> “We need to move on, focus on our training, and build on what we did right while correcting our mistakes.”
Atletico defender David Hancko echoed his boss’s praise, telling UEFA:
> “It was a very tough game. You can expect that because Arsenal are one of the best teams in the world right now.”
Under Arteta’s leadership, Arsenal have evolved dramatically since 2019. Their mentality, depth, and consistency now mark them as genuine contenders across all competitions. With their confidence surging, attention turns to whether they can finally end their 20-year wait for a Premier League title — and claim a long-awaited first Champions League trophy — as they prepare to face Crystal Palace and Slavia Prague next.
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