Diego Simeone 'Happy' With Atletico Madrid's Performance in Narrow Copa del Rey Victory

Diego Simeone was content with his team's performance after Atletico Madrid earned a narrow 1-0 win at Sant Andreu in the first leg of their Copa del Rey tie.

Los Rojiblancos were expected to roll over their third tier opposition, but instead they ground out a now familiar victory by the odd goal - earning yet another clean sheet in the process.

Despite the narrow margin of victory, Simeone was pleased with his team's efforts - reserving special praise for his fringe players that had come into the side, whilst downplaying any concerns over the late pressure his side were put under.

"I liked the game," Simeone said in his press conference after the game, as quoted by Marca.

"It's been a while since they played 90 minutes I'm happy with the result and with those who played."

"I always expect to suffer because our opponents are competitive. It's normal that the rival squeezes you when you're not strong."

Summer signing Gelson Martins scored the game's only goal for the visitors, and Simeone was impressed with the performance of his Portuguese star.

"I liked his generosity when he had the ball," Simeone added. "His speed and insistence made our transitions quick and it was a step forward for him, without a doubt."

Atleti will return to domestic action on Saturday, where they will look to close at the gap to Barcelona at the top of La Liga when they visit Leganes in the lunchtime kick-off.