Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone has urged greater protection for managers from fan abuse after being sent off for reacting to Liverpool supporters at Anfield.
Simeone confronted fans behind his dugout after Virgil van Dijk’s 92nd-minute header sealed Liverpool’s 3-2 win in a dramatic Champions League opener. He later admitted his reaction was wrong but called for campaigns protecting managers similar to those against racism in football.
“In the same way we fight against racism, we should look at this too because we don’t have a right to respond and it is not easy to be insulted during the entire match,” said Simeone.
“My reaction isn’t justifiable but do you know what it is like to be insulted for 90 minutes?”
“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.”
Liverpool manager Arne Slot stated that he hoped the focus would remain on what he called a “great” match rather than the post-goal incident.
His side has now won all five of their Premier League and Champions League openers, each sealed with goals after the 80th minute. Slot credited the team’s fitness, mentality, and quality for consistently finding a way to win.
“It is not only mentality, it’s also how fit we are, how well prepared we are, that they are able to push one more time,” stated Slot.
Slot admitted he was “disappointed” that Liverpool needed yet another late winner, despite a night where the revamped attack — featuring record signing Alexander Isak’s first start — finally clicked.
“This is what the new (Champions League) format is about, a first game in a group stage that could be a quarter-final or a semi-final,” he added.
“A game like this should not have gone to a late game winner.”
“I understand that’s the story of this game and the last five games, but for me it is a different game than the ones we played before. We had so many great attacks today where we could have scored the third goal.”
