Oblak: We have to do much better against City

Jan Oblak admitted Atletico Madrid must improve on their performance in defeat to Real Mallorca when they host Manchester City in the Champions League. 

Atletico face City in the second leg of their quarter-final at the Wanda Metropolitano on Wednesday, trailing 1-0 from the first game in Manchester. 

They surprisingly lost by the same scoreline to relegation-threatened Mallorca at the Visit Mallorca Estadi on Saturday, with Vedat Muriqi’s penalty settling a contest low on quality. 

LaLiga’s reigning champions saw their six-game top-flight winning streak end abruptly but remain fourth – three points behind Sevilla in second. 

Oblak was unhappy with the decision to award the penalty after Reinildo was judged to have fouled Pablo Maffeo but conceded the Rojiblancos did not play well enough to win. 

“Things didn’t work out today,” the Slovenian goalkeeper said after the game. “Mallorca played a good defensive game. It was a difficult game. 

“In the end, with a dry pitch, with sun, with everything, it’s complicated. I’m not looking for excuses. We have to do more and better. Today was not enough for the three points. 

“We didn’t have [the Champions League game] in mind, but I’m sure the first leg has taken its toll. We’ve been a bit tired, heavy… We haven’t played the game we had to play. Next it’s City and we have to do much better to win on Wednesday. 

“Reinildo has also told me that it wasn’t [a penalty]. I saw it from behind and it didn’t seem like it to me. But if the VAR people don’t want to warn him, nothing can be done. I’ve told the referee that it’s not a penalty. Football is a contact sport and it can happen that after clearing the ball you touch someone. 

“The intensity wasn’t at the level that it had to be for the whole team. In the end, you lose a game that you didn’t have to lose. You can’t let the other team play with more enthusiasm. You have to go in wanting to win and take the three points.” 

Head coach Diego Simeone also dismissed the notion that his team had one eye on City. 

“We started the game well, but it was costing us,” he told reporters. “We were elaborate, generated danger, but defensively they were very good. The penalty made us look to force a draw, but it wasn’t to be. 

“It’s easy to blame a lack of concentration, but we couldn’t break their orderly and correct defense.”