Atletico Madrid nearly salvaged a valuable draw in their Champions League opening group-stage match against Liverpool, but Virgil van Dijk dashed their hopes with a last-minute goal, giving the Reds a 3-2 victory.
Despite the late drama on the pitch, it was Diego Simeone who drew the most attention. After van Dijk’s decisive strike, the Atletico head coach got into an altercation with a Liverpool fan, which led to his ejection from the match.
The Argentine coach reported the home-team fan to the fourth official, claiming he was being insulted and subjected to obscene gestures. However, referee Maurizio Mariani chose to eject the Atletico manager from the match.
The intensity of the match kept rising as Liverpool raced to a 2-0 lead, making it look like a blowout. However, Atletico Madrid fought back to level the score before halftime and nearly equalized again late in the game, sending the visiting team’s bench into jubilant celebrations. Ultimately, Arne Slot’s side snatched a last-minute victory, leaving Simeone furious after his altercation with an English fan.
Simeone speaks out about the incident
After the match, Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone said he was subjected to insults throughout the game. He also acknowledged that his reaction was not appropriate and asked Liverpool to identify the fan responsible and ensure there are consequences.
“People always talk about respect, but you get insulted the entire match from the stands. I can’t say anything because I’m the coach. My reaction isn’t justifiable, but after 90 minutes of insults, it’s not easy. The referee said he understood the situation. I hope Liverpool can improve in that regard, and when they identify the person responsible, that there are consequences,” Simeone told Movistar+.
“Insults the whole match. And gestures too. I’m the one who has to stay calm, endure the gestures, the insults, any situation. Why? Because I’m in a position where I have to endure it,” he added.
