Simeone on fan squabble: 'I was fighting back'

Atlético Madrid brag Diego Simeone has claimed helium was "fighting back" against insults from supporters earlier helium was shown a reddish paper successful his team's 3-2 decision successful their Champions League opener against Liverpool astatine Anfield.

Simeone was dismissed successful stoppage clip aft Virgil van Dijk scored a victor for the hosts successful beforehand of the Kop.

The Atlético manager appeared to get caught up successful an altercation with Liverpool supporters connected the touchline earlier helium was sent disconnected by referee Maurizio Mariani.

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Addressing the siuation successful his postmatch quality conference, Simeone said: "Let's speech astir what refers to me. We are successful a spot wherever we don't person a close to reply oregon react, bash we? It's ne'er precise bully erstwhile we respond arsenic managers, is it?

"We are the radical connected the signifier retired determination and request to behave well. But if determination are comments against racism oregon insults, we tin get aggravated and combat backmost arsenic well, managers, from the spot that we are to however we are getting insulted each of the game. When they scored the 3rd goal, helium turned astir and insulted me, erstwhile I turned around, I americium a idiosyncratic and I'm human."

He added: "I'm not going to get into the nonstop quality of the insults. I don't privation to get progressive with that, I don't privation that discussion. I person got to enactment successful my place. I cognize what went connected down the manager's bench. I can't lick society's problems successful 1 property conference. I've got to unrecorded with it due to the fact that it exists each implicit the spot each of the time."