A Liverpool supporter who had a confrontation with Atletico Madrid’s coach Diego Simeone during Wednesday’s intense Champions League group stage match has finally spoken out.
Right after Virgil van Dijk scored a 92nd-minute goal to give Liverpool a 3-2 lead, an enraged Simeone had to be restrained by security following an incident.
The Argentine coach was seen shouting and gesturing towards a fan immediately after Van Dijk’s winning goal, with his coaching staff also involved in the hectic moment. Simeone later explained that he had been “insulted for 90 minutes” by the crowd. “People always talk about care and respect, but I was insulted by the fans throughout the entire game,” he said. “I can’t respond because I’m the coach. My reaction wasn’t justified, but it’s hard to stay calm after 90 minutes of insults.”
After being pulled away by stewards, Simeone was shown a red card by referee Maurizio Mariani, resulting in a ban from the touchline and technical area for Atletico’s next match against Eintracht Frankfurt.
The Liverpool fan involved has since commented on the incident. A video of the clash went viral on social media platform X, and early Thursday, the fan reposted the clip with the caption: “Do I get the assist?” He also tagged Simeone’s official account, adding a GIF of David Brent from The Office with the phrase, “Ooh, you’re hard.”
When asked about the insults after the game, Simeone said, “The referee told me he understood what happened. I hope Liverpool addresses this and punishes the responsible fan once identified.”
Regarding the insults, Simeone added, “They went on all game, with gestures too. You can’t imagine what it’s like. But I have to remain calm and endure it because of my role.”
He further commented, “I’m not going to go into the exact details of the insults. I don’t want to get involved in that discussion. I have to keep my position. I know what happened behind the manager’s bench.”
Liverpool initially took a 2-0 lead with goals from Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah, but Atletico’s Marcos Llorente scored twice in the second half to level. However, Liverpool managed to clinch a late winner, continuing their dramatic start to the Champions League season under Arne Slot.
What do you think of the match? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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