Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone has issued an official apology to Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior and club president Florentino Pérez following an incident that occurred during the Spanish Super Cup semi-final.
Simeone made the apology during a press conference ahead of Atletico Madrid’s Copa del Rey match against Deportivo La Coruña.
He said, “I would like to apologize to Mr. Florentino Pérez and to Vinícius for what you saw. It was not right for me to put myself in that situation. I admit that I did not behave correctly.”
The incident took place during the Super Cup semi-final when Simeone addressed Vinícius on the sidelines, warning him that Florentino Pérez might take strict action against him.
This came after Vinícius was seen provoking Atletico Madrid’s substitutes, which escalated tensions between the two sides.
Simeone clarified that he had already apologized for his behavior, stressing that it was “an apology, not a justification.”
He also declined to comment on remarks made by Xabi Alonso, who had described the coach’s behavior as inappropriate for a professional in the sport.
This was not the first time tensions have flared between Simeone and Vinícius. Previous clashes between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid, including the September 2022 derby and the 2024 Copa del Rey, witnessed similar confrontations, largely stemming from Vinícius’ reactions toward the crowd and Simeone’s responses on the touchline.
Follow the latest news on Google News
