After a roller-coaster game of Champions League football, shrouded with VAR decisions that made some dreams and broke some hopes, more drama continued on the sidelines as Atlético boss sprinted away from the scene, snubbing Jürgen Klopp and his handshake.
Spanish football reporter Sam Leveridge stood up for Diego Simeone’s action on Twitter, disguising his apparent lividness as merely habitual and not disrespectful, and something he does ‘every game’.
In before a lazy British pundit complains: Diego Simeone runs down the tunnel on the final whistle of every game. It’s not a lack of respect for Klopp or being a sore loser.
The Argentine was outed as a hypocrite and his actions were clearly not justified, as Simeone was seen acknowledging Klopp post-match in 2020 after a win.
"Guys… this has nothing to do with Klopp. He disrespects every manager he faces like this."
Let me just check if he did that in 2020 when he won…. no, of course not. He ran down the pitch to the Atleti fans celebrating them came back and acknowledged Klopp. https://t.co/xMQavIz4xzpic.twitter.com/W2dBJmoNWx
The Liverpool manager was visibly puzzled after receiving the snub. Klopp’s side took the early lead in the game, with Salah and Keita scoring one each after thirteen minutes.
Atletico came back soon enough and levelled the scoreline but things got complicated for Simeone’s side in the second half when Griezmann was sent off with a red for a high boot challenge on Roberto Firmino in the 52nd minute.
Mario Hermoso’s foul on Diogo Jota then earned Liverpool a penalty, which Salah neatly converted to put the Reds 3-2 up.
Things took a turn for the worse for the home team when their hopes for an equaliser was shunned with referee Daniel Siebert overruling his own decision for an Atlético spot-kick after a pitchside VAR check in the final minutes of the game, vexing the home crowd at Wanda Metropolitano and the Argentine football manager.
Infuriated by Griezmann’s red card and the VAR overturn, Simeone stormed off the pitch.
This was Atlético Madrid’s first European defeat at home in four years. The victory keeps Liverpool at the top of the table with a 100% win rate since the start of the Champions League season.
