Atletico Madrid and Uefa are set to investigate the chaotic scenes at the end of the team’s defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League, with a member of the Spanish side’s coaching staff appearing to spit towards a supporter at Anfield.
Atletico manager Diego Simeone was sent off following Virgil van Dijk’s dramatic winning goal, with Simeone’s altercation with a Liverpool supporter in the crowd resulting in a mass confrontation near the away team’s dugout.
Simeone later said that while he regretted his actions, he had received insults from supporters during the game. A Liverpool supporter has claimed in a video on social media that he was spat at, with TV footage appearing to show a member of Atletico’s coaching staff spitting into the crowd after Simeone was pulled away by stewards.
Uefa could decide to take disciplinary action while it has reviewed all footage available, while Atletico said it would “conduct an internal investigation” into the incident.
TV cameras showed a Liverpool supporter cheering in Simeone’s face as the Argentine was held back by stewards, with the Atletico manager claiming that his volatile reaction was sparked by insults from the supporter in question.
“We are in a place where we don’t have a right to reply or react and it is never good when we react as managers,” Simeone said in his post-game press conference.
“When they scored the third goal, he turned round and insulted me. I am a person, I am human.”
Simeone also told Movistar: “There is a lot of talk about taking care, but they (fans) were shouting insults through the whole game from behind the bench. And I cannot say anything as I am a coach.
"Obviously my reaction is not justifiable, I insulted him. But it was 90 minutes of being insulted the whole time. Then you turn around, when your opponent has scored, and they are still insulting you. It is not that easy.
"The referee understood the situation. I hope that a team like Liverpool can improve that part.
"When they identify the person who did this, it should have its consequences. But he who needs to stay calm, and take the insults, is me. In my place you just have to take it."
