A downbeat Diego Simeone did not confirm whether he wanted to continue as Atletico Madrid coach after suffering a second agonising Champions League final defeat by Real Madrid in three years.
After Atletico Madrid came from a goal behind to take the game into extra-time at 1-1, it was Real Madrid who prevailed 5-3 in the penalty shootout, adding to the pain of the 4-1 loss to their city rivals in the 2014 final.
Simeone, who has won every major trophy with Atletico in his four-and-a-half years in charge apart from the Champions League, cast his future at the club into doubt when asked if he had thought about resigning.
“I am thinking that I have to start thinking,” Simeone said.
“It’s a logical question for you to ask after a defeat like the one we’ve just suffered.
“Quite frankly I love my players. It’s obvious that they’ve given everything that they have, and they always give everything they have.
“We had the chance to become champions, we didn’t take that chance,” he added.
“We need to continue working, I have to think things out on my part. That’s what I’m doing now. What is clear to me is that nobody remembers the losers.
“Losing two finals is a failure. We have to get over this and heal our wounds.”