Diego Simeone faced backlash from Arsenal fans after stepping on the club's badge following a Champions League defeat. Arsenal secured a 1-0 win, advancing to the final with a 2-1 aggregate score.
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Diego Simeone was targeted by Arsenal fans after being seen to step on the club’s badge following the Champions League semi-final second leg.
Bukayo Saka’s goal was enough to split the teams on the night with a 1-0 win sending Mikel Arteta’s side into the final in Budapest 2-1 on aggregate.
But after raging at Ben White for stepping on Atletico’s badge in the Metropolitano Stadium last week during the first leg, Simeone was targeted in defeat in London, with the home crowd able to influence the contest, according to Arteta.
Video surfaced after the game of Simeone stepping on the Arsenal crest, which greets the players and coaching staff between the pitch and changing rooms.
And the footage suggested a contradiction in the Argentine coach’s approach after his visible anger last week towards White.
Simeone could be seen looking down at the ground before stepping on the Arsenal badge and disappearing into the tunnel towards the dressing rooms.
While most Atletico players could be seen walking around the Arsenal badge, though José María Giménez also opted to walk straight over it and was then targeted by some Gunners fans observing from above.
Arteta hailed the impact of the lively Emirates crowd and the difference they made in the tie.
“That box is ticked now, now we have to maintain it,” Arteta said. “Now we go to the level that I think a top club that wants to be fighting consistently for the highest trophies, that's a must. We've got it now, now we have to maintain it.
“The high is not too high, the low is not too low, my job is to be quite stable. I really will enjoy it, everyone is enjoying this moment now. Tomorrow we have to start to prepare for Sunday, we have an incredible game now to play against West Ham, a really tough one and we're going to have four days to do that. It's great, let's enjoy the moment.
Diego Simeone was heckled by Arsenal fans after being seen stepping on the club's badge following their Champions League semi-final defeat.
Arsenal won the second leg 1-0, advancing to the final with a 2-1 aggregate score.
Simeone expressed visible anger towards Ben White for stepping on Atletico's badge during the first leg of the semi-final.
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Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone looks dejected after the match against Arsenal (Reuters)
“It's great, everybody can feel a shift in energy, in belief, in everything. Let's use it in the right way, understanding the margins and the difficulty of what we are trying to achieve. It's huge but we have the ability and the conviction to do that for sure.”
Arsenal now face four games with a historic Premier League and Champions League double at stake.
The Gunners travel to London rivals West Ham on Sunday with the Hammers desperate for points to beat the drop, before hosting Burnley and a final day trip away to Crystal Palace before preparations begin to take on Bayern Munich or Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest on 30 May.