Paris Saint-Germain loanee Xavi Simons and RB Leipzig fell short in their 2-1 loss on aggregate to Real Madrid in their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 matchup. The second leg was 1-1, but the German side couldn’t find that second goal to send the contest to extra time.
After the match, Simons spoke to English media outlet TNT Sports and noted that the little details needed to take down a club like Real Madrid cost Leipzig over the two legs.
“Yeah, really good game,” Simons said after the game. “I think at the end it’s the little details. You have chances you have to score in this stage, but, yeah, we keep working and we bounce back.
“You see [in] the first game as well, at home we had the chances to score, and here as well. And [Real Madrid] came two times. And they scored two times. That’s the high level. Like, a player like Vinicius [who] is amazing. But, [as] I say, we have to improve these mistakes.”
"One day lifting the #UCL, that's my dream" 🏆
Xavi Simons reflect on RB Leipzig's defeat to Real Madrid and his ambitions in the competition 👀 pic.twitter.com/cACzpqn10x
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 6, 2024
The 20-year-old is out of the tournament now, but that’s only serving as a motivating factor. Simons noted how much it would mean to lift the Champions League trophy.
“I’m enjoying my time here,” Simons added. “I’m enjoying my performance. I want to enjoy my football as well and keep growing, and one day, lifting this trophy, that’s my dream.”
After this season, Simons will return to PSG and be part of a young squad. The Dutchman has the responsibility to be one of the faces of the club as they transition into a new era, with Kylian Mbappé reportedly leaving once his contract expires in June.
