Manchester City secured the goalless draw they needed to edge out Atletico Madrid and advance to the Champions League semi-finals on Wednesday, but the match was marred by a late mass brawl that continued to rage in the tunnel after full time. Watch the all the reactions here.
Police were seen in the tunnel at the Wanda Metropolitano as video footage showed heated arguments breaking out between the players, including Atletico’s Stefan Savic and City’s Jack Grealish, with staff trying to keep the players apart.
“I didn’t see it,” said Diego Simeone. “I was on the pitch applauding the fans. By the time I went inside there was nobody there.”
Pep Guardiola was asked about the behaviour of Atletico’s players. “Nothing to say,” he said.
The trouble began on the pitch, as Atletico defender Felipe sparked a huge brawl in the corner after a taking a wild swipe at City’s Phil Foden.
Felipe was sent off but not before a crowd of players, substitutes and staff swarmed in.
“We knew it was not an easy place to come, it is a hostile environment, it was a difficult night all round and how we defended and controlled ourselves over the two legs was incredible,” City defender John Stones told BT Sport.
In the end, Kevin De Bruyne’s first-leg strike last week at the Etihad Stadium proved enough for City to claim a 1-0 victory on aggregate in Madrid, although the Belgian had to go off with an injury which, if significant, would be a hammer blow to their hopes of winning the treble.
Kyle Walker also hobbled off in the second half.
City will now face Real Madrid, with Liverpool up against Villarreal in the other semi-final to complete an all Spanish-English lineup in the last four.
Simeone was widely criticised for Atletico’s negative tactics in the first leg and there was only a minor shift here, with the plan still to keep the game tight ahead of a final push.
Atletico came close, spurning a number of late chances, but instead City advance to the semis for a second consecutive year, in sight again of their first Champions League triumph.
“If we play like we did in the second half we have no chance,” said Guardiola. “We are playing Real Madrid, the kings of this competition. We will have to suffer.”
After a rousing ceremony before kick-off with the words ‘Pride, Passion, Feeling’ spelt out across the crowd, Atletico made a stirring start, harrying City high up the pitch and snapping at their heels in midfield.
Foden was clattered by Felipe, Stefan Savic bulldozed Ilkay Gundogan over and Walker poked a ball out of play, under stress from the Atletico press.
But City survived the early, physical onslaught and established control, even if Atletico looked a threat on the break, failing only with their final pass.
Watch all the post-match reactions here:
Video of police storming into the tunnel to set apart the players of #AtletiManCity especially Savic and Grealish attempting to headbutt each other pic.twitter.com/5F4aoVidfr
— Tancredi Palmeri (@tancredipalmeri) April 13, 2022
