Barrios opened the scoring inside the first minute, dedicating his goal to the captain following the death of Koke's mother. Lookman added the second after Manchester United defender Leny Yoro was sent off, securing Atlético's first victory in the Champions League league phase.
Simeone acknowledged the difficult circumstances surrounding the match and the importance of supporting his captain.
“Knowing how important he is within the club, it was a difficult moment for everyone. He has a wonderful family around him, and we are sharing in his grief today. With the lovely family he has around him, he will get through this.”
The Atletico Madrid coach was also pleased to see Barrios find the net. He believes the midfielder's growing influence can be strengthened by contributing more regularly in front of goal.
“It was a good attacking transition. Barrios needed a goal to keep growing and to get himself aligned with scoring. I'm pleased he got one.”
The victory also offered encouragement for Julián Álvarez, whose relationship with the supporters has been a talking point. Simeone felt the forward was moving closer to the level Atlético fans expect, while welcoming competition for attacking places with Jonathan David.
“The fans' relationship with a player depends on what the player gives them. Julián is giving that. He did it against Alavés, and today he came close to scoring. He is getting closer to being the player Atlético supporters want to see.”
Simeone added that Álvarez and David could play together, arguing that strong internal competition has often been a feature of his most successful teams.
The coach also highlighted the performances of Johnny Cardoso and Morten Hjulmand, whose contributions from the bench gave Atlético further options. He said Barrios was improving physically but needed careful management across a demanding schedule.
On the match itself, Simeone believed Atlético had deserved the result after creating more opportunities and enjoying more possession. He praised his side's willingness to continue attacking, although he admitted defensive balance remained an area for improvement.
Atlético had a goal from Cardoso disallowed following a handball decision involving Marcos Llorente. Simeone accepted the ruling despite questioning how difficult the interpretation could be.
“It's sometimes difficult to understand the rule, but if that is how it was interpreted, we have to accept it. Discussing it will not change what happened.”
The result offered Atlético a valuable European boost, but Simeone's reflections returned to the man absent from the pitch. The tribute to Koke gave the victory a significance beyond the three points.