Diego Simeone insisted that Atletico Madrid are "on the right track" despite missing the opportunity to automatically reach the last 16 of the Champions League.
Atleti lost 2-1 to Bodo/Glimt in their final match of the league phase, leaving them 14th in the standings as they prepare to face either Club Brugge or Galatasaray in the play-off round.
The LaLiga side took the lead through Alexander Sorloth, but goals either side of half-time from Fredrik Sjovold and Kasper Hogh clinched another vital win for Bodo.
This was just the second time across the last eight Champions League campaigns that Atleti had opened the scoring in a home match and gone on to lose (scored first 21 times – W17 D2 L2), after a 1-3 defeat against Lille in October 2024.
Sorloth, meanwhile, became the first Norwegian player to score a European Cup/Champions League goal against a Norwegian opponent.
A 1-1 draw with Galatasaray on MD7 meant Atleti picked up just one point in their last two league phase matches, leading them to miss out on avoiding the play-off route.
However, Simeone was unfazed by his side’s defeat, pointing to their busy fixture list as the reason for their inconsistent form.
"The only solution is to keep creating opportunities, give the players confidence, and encourage them to keep giving their all," said Simeone.
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— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) January 28, 2026
"We're on the right track and we have to stay the course because important things are coming.
"Honestly, I was more disappointed against Galatasaray because we played a fantastic match and deserved to win.
"We had played just three days ago and the players gave their all; I have no complaints. With humility and confidence in what we do, the results will come."