After the victory against Espanyol, Simeone revealed that he had a chat with Sorloth about the missed chances against Bruges during the minutes he played. Far from being a reproachful message, the Argentine coach, as stated by the player himself, offered words of motivation and how to improve his performance. "I love talking to him because he has kind words," expressed the night's goal scorer hugging the match ball. He mentioned that he had three opportunities and praised his attitude despite the misses. However, in the Metropolitano, those same opportunities turned into goals. A hat-trick of redemption and victory.
"Sorloth has what none of his teammates have," expressed the Argentine coach about the giant Norwegian who, in 2026, shows more instinct than anyone else. With 10 goals, he is the top scorer for Atletico and, in these 90 minutes against Bruges, he managed to score the same number of goals as he had in his entire career in the top continental competition. "I am hungry and want to continue like this," he declared in the mixed zone, later admitting, with laughter, that his Norwegian personality prevents him from showing emotions when celebrating his three goals against the Belgians. The forward thanked his teammates for the passes, and one of them paid him the compliment he deserved. "He's a machine," pointed out Johnny Cardoso, the other standout player of the match.
The Brazilian has finally found the continuity that had eluded him due to injuries and, in just two games, has shown the qualities that brought him to Atlético, crowned by a goal that secured the win against Bruges. "Since I arrived here, I dreamed of nights like this," admitted the midfielder who remained solid defensively and dynamic in the offensive phase.
This effort, along with that of the whole team, earned praise from the Argentine coach for a squad that he says is committed, both the starters and the substitutes. "Many new players in the last two years, and reinventing ourselves again is not easy. When you see the conviction of the substitutes, you still get emotional. That commitment makes me feel very identified," stated the Atletico coach. Simeone applauded being back in the round of 16, a stage he has reached in 11 of the 13 seasons he has managed to qualify the team since taking over the bench, highlighting its importance for the club even though the team aims for more.
From the coach to the players, the message was not the usual "one game at a time." Cholo was the most vague, but both Sorloth and Cardoso were very positive in this tournament. "We play in tournaments with the aim to win them, and the Champions League is no different," stated the Brazilian, while the Norwegian expressed more succinctly: "We want to win."
No one in the team is expressing a preference for the opponent they want in the round of 16. The options are varied, with some tougher than others. Tottenham or Liverpool await them in the next round. "I am enjoying my first Champions League experience; we know it's a very tough tournament, and we don't care who we face," noted Cardoso, while the Norwegian says he "doesn't mind."
Last season, it was Real Madrid they faced in the next round, and the elimination, after the double touch on the penalty by Julián, remains in the Atletico memory. Julián is not at his best moment, and Simeone wanted to publicly praise him, recalling Griezmann's tough times last season. The coach knows he will need the best version of both for the remainder of this season.