Atletico Madrid Diego Simeone blamed Liverpool fans for hurling insults and gestures which led to his sending off in the Spanish side’s 3-2 defeat at Anfield on Wednesday, Afrosport reports.
The Argentine tactician received a red card for reacting angrily to Liverpool fans after captain Virgil van Dijk headed in the winning goal in added time, denying the Spanish giants to take a point after finding their way back from two goals down thank to Marcos Llorente’s brace.
Simeone speaking after the match, said he was subjected to abuse throughout the game, but did not clarify if it was racist.
“We are at a stadium where we don’t have the right to react. And when we react then it doesn’t look good, because we aren’t locals,” he said.
“We insistently fight against racism and insults throughout games, because nowadays the seats are right beside the bench of the coaches.
“We could also fight back, because it isn’t easy to be in our place and be subjected to insults during the whole game.
“They scored their third goal, and I looked back and the insults and gestures continued. And well… I am only human.”
He added: “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.
“I am not really going to get into the exact nature of the insults. I don’t want to get into that discussion. I know what went on behind the manager’s bench. I cannot solve society’s problems in one press conference. I have to live with it because it happens all the time.”
A Liverpool fan, Jonny Poulter, took to X to explain that nothing racist or political was said towards Simeone.
“I think he’s a bit of a coward,” he said. “When he went in and did his press conference after the game, the Spanish media asked what was said, whether it was racist, regarding the Falklands War and all this rubbish.
“There was nothing racist said by me or anyone else; there was no mention of the Falklands War by me or anyone else.
“But the fact that he was asked it and didn’t answer the question, and just got up and walked out, has left it open for speculation across the world.
“I never said anything apart from ‘ayyy f**k off’ [gesture with middle finger], as you do – but that’s what he did to us when they scored the equaliser.
“His assistant manager was giving it ‘ayyy’ in front of us, and obviously, he was getting called a ‘sh*thouse’ and whatever else.
“And his assistant manager, who came over a spat at me…yeah…yeah.”
Just putting it out there. Nothing racist, no mention of any war or slurs of any kind.
Up the reds pic.twitter.com/UnQSblVZhU
— Jonny Poulter (@jonnyplfc6) September 18, 2025
Simeone will serve a touchline ban for Atletico’s next Champions League game against Eintracht Frankfurt at the Metropolitano on September 30.
