Atletico Madrid captain Koke Resurreccion expressed his frustration following a disappointing 5-1 defeat to Villarreal at La Ceramica, marking the end of the La Liga season on Sunday night. The loss prevented Atletico from overtaking Villarreal and claiming third place, a position they could have seized with a victory. This defeat was significant as it marked only the second time during Diego Simeone's tenure that the team conceded five goals in a match.

Finishing fourth under Simeone for the second time also means Atletico missed out on approximately €7m in prize money, highlighting the stakes of their performance.

Koke candidly assessed the season, stating, “[It leaves] A bitter taste in my mouth. In the Champions League, exciting; in the Cup, the penalties; in the League, we’ve been a disaster because we haven’t been able to fight for the title. We need to be higher up the table and let this serve us well for next season,” in an interview with Movistar+ via Marca.

In contrast, Diego Simeone maintained a more positive perspective on the season, describing it as “somewhere between good and very good.” He noted the team's achievements, including reaching the Champions League semi-finals and the Copa del Rey final, while acknowledging Villarreal's strong league performance. Simeone emphasized the joy brought to fans with notable victories, despite the disappointment in not winning the league.