Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone blamed a refereeing decision after sending off Stefan Savic during Atletico’s 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals on Friday.
In the 19th minute Atletico Madrid took the lead through a goal scored by Alvaro Morata.
However, Rodrygo equalized late in the second half and forced the game into extra time.
Stefan Savic received his second yellow card after fouling Eduardo Camavinga and leaving Atletico reduced to 10 men in the 99th minute.
Not long after, Karim Benzema and Vinicuis Junior were able to score the winning goal for Real and ensure their place in the semifinals.
“For me, we played a very good game until the 70th minute, when [Dani] Ceballos didn’t get a second yellow card [for a foul on Thomas Lemar],” Simeone said in his post-match press conference as quoted by ESPN.
“We should have been one man up and 1-0 up, but it didn’t happen. Then Savic was sent off and we went one man down. It became more difficult with 10 men, but the team were brave enough to come out for a draw, I’m happy with the effort of the lads ,” he continued.
Simeone was also not happy with the leadership of the referee Cesar Soto Grado for not giving protection to Alvaro Morata.
“I asked him ‘Do you have anything against Alvaro? If so, I will not pick him in the next game, referee!'” Simeone said.
“[Soto Grado] said Alvaro went down easily sometimes. But he left bumped. It was a decision. Ceballos could have been booked and not, and Savic did,” he continued.
Simeone, who has managed Atletico since 2011, has hinted he will think about his own future at the end of the season.
“We are out of the Champions League, and we are out of the Copa del Rey,” said Diego Simeone.
“We have the second half of the season to achieve the goals the club needs [to finish in the top four] and then we will see everything.”
“I am happy to be at Atletico Madrid. From the day I arrive until the day I leave, I will give everything for the team and the club,” continued Simeone.
