News Focus
- Atletico Madrid crashed out of the Champions League semi-finals following defeat to Arsenal
- Jan Oblak accused his side of demonstrating excessive respect towards the Gunners
- The Slovenian goalkeeper claimed the team played with fear during both first halves
- The match marked Antoine Griezmann’s final European appearance before his move to America
- Atletico have rebuilt their squad with 15 new signings across the past two seasons
Jan Oblak has issued a scathing assessment of Atletico Madrid’s Champions League elimination, insisting his team-mates approached their clash with Arsenal with excessive caution and fear.
The Slovenian shot-stopper watched his side exit the competition at the semi-final stage. Speaking after the match, Oblak did not hold back in his criticism of the team’s mentality during both legs of the tie.
“We demonstrated far too much respect towards Arsenal,” the 33-year-old told CBS Golazo. “Our players were frightened to express themselves on the pitch. In both matches, our first-half performances fell well below the required standard.”
Atletico found themselves trailing at the interval during both the home and away fixtures against Mikel Arteta’s side. Although they improved after half-time on each occasion, the deficit proved too great to overcome.
“We consistently waited for something negative to occur before reacting,” Oblak explained. “We needed to concede a goal before waking up, but by that stage, it was already too late. This pattern has repeated throughout the season, and whilst we have rescued victories in domestic matches, we could not recover against elite opposition.”
Despite his disappointment, the veteran goalkeeper expressed satisfaction with the club’s long-term project. Atletico have integrated approximately fifteen new players across the past two transfer windows, blending youth with experience.
“The development has been impressive considering the massive changes,” Oblak noted. “We have introduced many young talents lacking European experience, yet they performed admirably in both the domestic cup and this Champions League campaign. However, when your objective is to lift trophies, merely reaching semi-finals brings no happiness.”
The fixture also marked Antoine Griezmann’s farewell appearance in Europe’s premier club competition. The French forward is set to join Orlando City this summer, ending his distinguished career at the highest level.
“Everybody will miss Griezmann,” Oblak said. “He creates magic on the field and maintains a positive spirit constantly. It is sad for him to depart without reaching the final, but he deserves every success in America.”
Oblak, who stands as one of the club’s longest-serving players behind captain Koke Resurreccion, forms part of Atletico’s defensive foundation alongside Jose Maria Gimenez and Marcos Llorente. However, the Uruguayan defender Gimenez is anticipated to depart the Metropolitano Stadium during the upcoming transfer window.