LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Diego Simeone said he faced repeated insults from the Anfield crowd before being sent off following an angry confrontation at the end of Atletico Madrid's Champions League game against Liverpool on Wednesday.
The Atletico coach said he responded to provocation from the crowd after Virgil van Dijk scored a stoppage-time goal in Liverpool's 3-2 win. It sparked a scuffle on the sideline with stewards and members of Atletico's coaching team all caught up in the fracas.
Speaking through an interpreter after the game, Simeone said he was “getting insulted all game” and he reacted because “I’m a human.”
There were furious scenes at the end of the game at Anfield after Atletico had fought back from 2-0 down and then conceded in the second minute of added time to lose the match.
A large scuffle on the sideline saw stewards try to wrestle control of the situation before Simeone was eventually shown red card by Italian referee Maurizio Mariani.
TV footage showed Simeone confront a fan in the crowd and stewards going over to calm the situation down.
Simeone said coaches were in a place where they don't have the right to "reply or react.”
The Argentine coach would not say what insults he received.
“I’m not really going to get into the exact nature of the insults. I don’t want to get in that discussion," he said. "I’ve got to stay in my place. I know what went on behind the manager’s bench. I can’t solve society’s problems in one press conference. I’ve got to live with it because it exists all the time.”
Liverpool coach Arne Slot said he was unaware of what happened.
James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson
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Atletico Madrid's head coach Diego Simeone gives instructions during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Liverpool and Atletico Madrid at Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Atletico Madrid's head coach Diego Simeone celebrates after his player Marcos Llorente scored his side's opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Liverpool and Atletico Madrid at Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Atletico Madrid's head coach Diego Simeone celebrates after his player Marcos Llorente scored his side's opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Liverpool and Atletico Madrid at Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
EDITORS/NEWS DIRECTORS
The World Cup will be played in 16 cities from June 11 to July 19, including 14 in the U.S. There are players in Major League Soccer vying for spots on the 26-man U.S. roster, to be announced by coach Mauricio Pochettino in New York on May 26. Six-to-10 MLS players are projected to make the roster. Additional players will be selected for other teams in the 48-nation World Cup field. In 2022, 35 MLS players were on rosters of 12 of the 32 teams.
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FIND PLAYERS WITH TIES TO YOUR LOCAL TEAM
View this spreadsheet to find MLS players who are competing for a spot on a FIFA World Cup Team. The spreadsheet also includes their hometowns and where they went to school.
Some spots are already secured or likely, but final rosters are expected to be published by FIFA on June 1. Some coaches may announce before that. Changes can be made up until 24 hours before a team’s first game.
The spreadsheet includes players from the following U.S. and Canadian club teams:
Atlanta United
Austin
Charlotte
Chicago Fire
Colorado Rapids
Columbus Crew
D.C. United
Cincinnati
Dallas
Inter Miami
LA Galaxy
LAFC
Minnesota United
Nashville
New England Revolution
New York City FC
Orlando City
Philadelphia Union
Portland Timbers
Real Salt Lake
New York Red Bulls
San Diego
Seattle Sounders
Toronto
Vancouver Whitecaps
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The FIFA logo is displayed on a World Cup countdown timer outside BC Place stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia, Monday, May 4, 2026. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
