Pep Guardiola claimed he never criticized Atlético Madrid’s style after a tense, nervous night that ended with Manchester City a one-goal lead to reach the Champions League semi-finals and a struggle in the tunnel. But Atlético manager Diego Simeone seemed not to believe Guardiola’s explanation, insisting: “We’re not stupid.”
Atlético captain Koke Resurrección accused City of ‘falling on the floor and wasting time’, just as Atlético had been accused, later admitted by midfielder Rodri, who noted that ‘everything goes in football’ but this only insisted on the last “five to 10 minutes” of the case.
There was a mass confrontation in the corner just before the final whistle. And Simeone denied he had sarcastically applauded the City bench and insisted he was clapping the fans.
There was also trouble in the tunnel, and the police had to intervene. Footage showed Stefan Savic and Jack Grealish facing each other on the pitch and Sime Vrsaljko had to be restrained in the tunnel as he could be seen throwing something and spitting on City staff. When asked about that footage, Guardiola replied: “Nothing to say.” Simeone said he hadn’t been there and didn’t see anything. However, the City manager responded to allegations that it was ironic that he had adopted the approach Atlético had been accused of, insisting those allegations were not his.
At the end of the first leg, Guardiola had noted that “since prehistory” it had been difficult to face a side defending very deep with two rows of five, words interpreted as a dig by many in Spain, perhaps even by Simeone himself .
“I’ve only had good things to say about him so far,” Guardiola said after the second leg. “Of course he can play how he wants. I would never say otherwise. I just said it’s very difficult. And they know how to do it better than anyone else in the world.”
Asked if Guardiola had shown a lack of respect, Simeone said: “I don’t have to give an opinion on whether someone speaks well [of us] or not. Often those who are very eloquent are very intelligent and have a way of dismissing you. But those of us who may have less eloquence are not stupid.”
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In the end, City had to stick to a lead and try to run down the clock to find a way through. “We had no other choice,” said Guardiola. “Atlético were absolutely brilliant. I don’t like playing like that at all, but this team does [Atlético] playing like him with their people behind them is almost unstoppable. I just said it’s very difficult when a team is playing so very, very well. nothing else.
“Make no mistake, I have never criticized Atlético,” said Guardiola. “They pushed us back, we forgot how to play. This is her merit. We’re celebrating getting through, but we could be out after the second half. We were in big, big trouble. They had chances to score, but in the end they didn’t make it.
“If we play in the semifinals like we did in the second half, we don’t stand a chance.”
Atlético’s captain Koke pointed out that City’s players went down in the second half to lose time. “We are often criticized for this situation and now let’s see what people think about it today,” he said. “You saw it, you can voice an opinion.”
Rodri said: “Everything is allowed in football. We tried to play. It’s true that in the end we were boxed in because of the quality of your opponent and if there’s five or ten minutes left, play with that weapon [time wasting]. I’m not for doing it the rest of the time, but it ends up happening sometimes. If that [the melee] happened, I tried to stay out of it; It’s my teammates and my ex-teammates and it’s not comfortable for me at all.”
“We certainly played against the best team in the best team in the world and we competed,” concluded Simeone. “Football has many facets, styles of play and I will have no opinion on how our opponents behaved.”