Latest Liverpool news and gossip as Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone was sent off during the Reds' 3-2 win in the Champions League
Diego Simeone during Atletico Madrid's 3-2 defeat to Liverpool
Diego Simeone was sent off during Atletico Madrid's defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League
(Image: Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone faces the prospect of being handed a touchline ban by UEFA after being sent off in the closing minutes against Liverpool. The Reds claimed a dramatic 3-2 victory over the Spanish outfit in their first league phase fixture of the Champions League at Anfield on Wednesday night.
Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah had put Liverpool 2-0 in front inside the opening six minutes on Merseyside, before Marcos Llorente got a goal in each half to draw the match all square. Virgil van Dijk won the game for the Reds with a header in stoppage time to secure all three points.
After Van Dijk's header found the back of the net, referee Maurizio Mariani issued a red card to Simeone after a heated exchange with the crowd. The Atletico boss was eventually asked to go down the tunnel after confronting the fourth official on the touchline, as he missed the final minute of stoppage time and the final whistle.
The red card for Simeone will likely lead to a suspension on the touchline for the Atletico boss. As per UEFA rules, Simeone could serve a one-game touchline ban after being sent off at Anfield.
"As a rule, a player or team official sent off by the referee is automatically suspended for the next match in a UEFA club competition (i.e. UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League or UEFA Super Cup)," UEFA rules state.
"In the event of a serious offence, the UEFA disciplinary bodies are entitled to augment this punishment, including by extending it to other competitions."
Simeone was asked about the incident after Van Dijk's winning goal during his post-match press conference.
"They always talk about taking care of each other, but they insult you throughout the entire match and you can't say anything because you're the manager," said Simeone.
"My reaction was unjustifiable, but do you know what it's like to be insulted for 90 minutes, to turn around after the opponent scores and still be insulted? It's not that easy."
“(The referee told me) he understood me," Simeone continued. "I hope Liverpool can improve that aspect and that when they identify the person who did that, there will be consequences.
"There were insults throughout the match, including gestures. It's clear that I'm the one who has to stay calm, I have to put up with the insults, the gestures and any situation. Because I'm in a position where I have to put up with it.
"I'm not really going to get into the exact nature of the insults. I don't want to get involved in that. I have got to stay in my place, I know what went on behind the manager's bench.
"I can't solve society's problem in one press conference. I have to live with it as it exists all over the place all of the time."
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