Atletico Madrid lived up to their reputation on Wednesday night by instigating an extraordinary brawl in the dying moments of their Champions League quarter final against Manchester City.
Chasing the game with a minute to go, Atletico were reduced to 10 men after a crazy foul by Felipe on Phil Foden. The dramatic scenes that followed required police intervention, with players from both sides throwing themselves into a mass ruckus.
Atletico v City: Tempers fray in dying minutes after tense second leg in Madrid
Atletico Madrid gave Manchester City the fright of their lives on Wednesday night at the Wanda Metropolitano.
Having failed to register a shot on target in the first leg in Manchester, Atleti gave an extraordinary second half performance that very nearly saw them seal their place in the Champions League semi-finals.
In the end, though, City would hold on to their 1-0 lead from the first leg, despite offering nothing to the game in the second half. The frustration ultimately got to Atletico, who instigated an extraordinary brawl in the dying moments of normal time.
It all began when Felipe took a petulant swipe at Phil Foden after bundling the Englishman out of play. Felipe was already on a yellow card, and so a red card was inevitable, but the Atletico players came raging in.
Nothing if not chaotically entertaining at the Wanda.
| Watch every UCL game for free here on the LiveScore app: https://t.co/asGxlTfSUJ. Registered ROI users only. #ad pic.twitter.com/jchmK2id5I— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) April 13, 2022
Stefan Savic launched himself at Phil Foden on the ground, causing Oleksandr Zinchenko and the City players to come rushing in, and a mass scuffle ensued between the two groups of players.
Savic would then renew the tensions between Atletico and Jack Grealish from the first leg, pulling the Englishman's hair on the sideline, after Grealish appeared to shout something unsavoury at the Montenegrin defender.
Among City's players, Nathan Ake and Raheem Sterling were particularly vocal, with Ake having to be held back by his teammates as he raised his arms to Atletico players.
It took 180 minutes, but the inevitable Atletico shithousery came at last in the second leg in Madrid.
Felipe was ultimately sent off, but spent the full 11 minutes played of injury time on the sidelines. Diego Simeone didn't help things, as the Atletico manager made attempts to rile up the crowd and rushed the field at one stage midway through injury time.
This is Diego Simeone's world... 🌍
...and we're just living in it 😅#UCL pic.twitter.com/I6o0ngX7E5— Watch the UCL on LiveScore 🇮🇪 (@LiveScoreIE) April 13, 2022
The end of Atlético vs. City got spicy 🌶️ pic.twitter.com/v3qSuDS7yf
— B/R Football (@brfootball) April 13, 2022
Felipe's red card ultimately killed Atletico's momentum and, with only ten men left, they could do nothing to get past City before the end of the game.
Incredibly, even the final whistle could not bring calm to the situation.
As City revelled in (just about) holding on to their last four place, reports came flooding in of a further altercation between Savic and Grealish in the tunnel. Police were seen hurrying to the scene to separate the two, in a crazy end to an ill-tempered tie.
Eight police sprinting down the tunnel. Things still heated here. #ATMMCI
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) April 13, 2022
Footage emerged of the scenes in the tunnel, which showed that it was not just Savic and Grealish who continued their altercation after the final whistle.
Say what you will about Atletico, they are nothing if not entertaining, even when they are the architects of their own downfall, as they were against City.
Naturally, football Twitter had plenty to say about the chaotic scenes in Madrid.
Atletico Madrid #ATMMCI https://t.co/7GV6rhIMAI
— No Context Eamon Dunphy (@NoContextDunphy) April 13, 2022
The only thing you can say for this brawl on the sideline is that at least Jack Grealish gets to see some action………
— Caught Offside (@COsoccerpod) April 13, 2022
Savic to Grealish in the tunnel pic.twitter.com/95gDr7o00k
— FootballBase (@footballbaseig) April 13, 2022
I NEVER wanna see City play Atletico Madrid ever again in my life. Apologies to the whole Spanish league who have to play them every season
— ¹⁰ (@SxrgioSZN) April 13, 2022
I watched about 15 minutes of the Atletico Madrid game and it felt more like a crime documentary than a football match
— The Tactical Times (@Tactical_Times) April 13, 2022
A City player is 100% going to walk on the Atletico badge on a carpet after this, and we cannot excuse that
— Adam Hurrey (@FootballCliches) April 13, 2022
Atletico Madrid are honestly the most entertaining / crazy team to watch when they are not playing against your club 😂
— Aidan Walsh 🔰 (@AidanWalshMUFC) April 13, 2022
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