Liverpool left it late to beat Atlético Madrid 3-2 in an intense Champions League encounter. The Reds took an early commanding lead, with Andrew Robertson scoring in the 4th minute and Mohamed Salah doubling the advantage just two minutes later in the 6th minute. At this point, it seemed as though Liverpool were cruising to a comfortable victory. However, Atlético Madrid had other plans.
Marcos Llorente managed to pull a goal back for Atlético in stoppage time, scoring in the 90th minute to level the score at 2-2. With the game seemingly headed for a draw, Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk had other ideas. The Dutch defender scored a dramatic late winner in stoppage time, sealing a 3-2 victory for the home side.
Diego Simeone, the Atlético Madrid manager, was visibly frustrated after the loss. Following the match, he became involved in an argument with a supporter and was sent off by the referee.
Simeone later reflected on his actions, saying: “There has been insults the whole game, but well, the one who has to be calm is me, and endure everything: insults, gestures, etc. They insult you the whole game from behind, and you can’t say anything, because I’m the coach.”
He continued, “My reaction to the insult is not justifiable, but you don’t know what 90 minutes of non-stop insults feels like. And of course, with the opposition scoring a goal, you turn around, and they continue to insult you. With all that tension, what happens, happens.”
Regarding the referee, Simeone added: “He told me that he understood me, but hopefully Liverpool can improve it, and if they identify who did that, it will have its consequences.”