Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone: 'Fans gave us strength'

Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has praised the club's supporters following their penalty-shootout win over Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League.

The Spaniards prevailed 3-2 on penalties after the last-16 tie finished 1-1 on aggregate, and their coach was quick to highlight the role the fans played in the victory.

"I loved it. As I watched the match ending I could see we were back again among the best eight teams in Europe with Atletico Madrid in a stadium that was erupting. It left me with goosepimples," BBC Sport quotes him as saying.

"The fans delight me. The supporters don't realise the strength they give the players."

Mario Suarez scored the goal that levelled the tie in Spain and Stefan Kiessling missed what proved to be the decisive penalty in the shootout to put Atletico into the quarter-finals.