Liverpool’s thrilling Champions League win over Atletico Madrid has taken a troubling twist following reports of an altercation between visiting staff and home fans. UEFA is set to investigate claims that a member of Diego Simeone’s coaching staff spat towards Liverpool supporters during the final moments at Anfield, according to Paul Joyce and David Lynch in The Times.
The incident reportedly occurred shortly after Virgil van Dijk’s 92nd-minute header secured a 3-2 victory. The Atletico coach had already been sent off by referee Maurizio Mariani after heated exchanges with fans seated behind the away team’s bench.
Video footage circulating online seems to show a man dressed in Atletico’s tracksuit spitting toward the crowd while stewards tried to intervene and separate the parties involved.
UEFA confirmed they are waiting for reports from the referee and match delegate before determining any disciplinary measures. As the home team, Liverpool must also provide CCTV footage related to the incident.
In a separate matter, a Liverpool supporter who admitted to verbally abusing Simeone after the winning goal denied any racist intent in his comments. Posting on his X account, he clarified that neither he nor others referenced racism or the Falklands War during the confrontation.
Simeone admitted after the match that he reacted poorly to the insults, saying: “When they scored the third goal, he insulted me. When I turned around, I’m only human.”
Additionally, Marca shared footage showing different gestures made towards Atletico staff during the match. The 55-year-old coach declined to provide details about what was said, stating: “I can’t fix society’s problems in one press conference. I have to live with it because it happens everywhere.”
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