Football
Dermot Corrigan, Madrid correspondent 9y

Diego Simeone dismisses claims of Neymar confrontation as 'lies'

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone has denied media reports that he made an offensive gesture towards the referee and confronted Neymar during his side's Copa del Rey second leg against Barcelona on Wednesday.

Barca won 3-2 to reach the quarterfinals 4-2 on aggregate after a game that saw Atletico finish with nine men and blame Neymar for "provocation" after he had tormented his markers before being substituted early.

Subsequent reports claimed Simeone made a gesture towards referee Jesus Gil Manzano during scuffles at half-time, and then joined captain Gabi in angrily confronting Neymar in the tunnel as the players went to the Vicente Calderon dressing-rooms.

Asked about the alleged incidents at his Friday news conference, the Colchoneros coach said: "The two things are lies. Big lies."

Arda Turan hurled a boot in the direction of a linesman, something Gil Manzano decided was only worthy of a yellow card.

Asked whether Arda might apologise, Simeone said he was concentrating on Saturday's La Liga game away to Eibar.

He added that the player would not be part of his squad, explaining: "He has played a lot of games recently, so we have decided he can have a rest.

"We are thinking about the game against Eibar in a difficult ground. They have begun well in the Primera Division. I have nothing else in my head.

"I understood that part of the criticism [around the Barcelona game] is heightened by the details which are of interest to you guys. We just think about the game."

Simeone and his players must journey north to the Basque town less than 72 hours after the end of the Barcelona tie, and the coach suggested that was the case because the authorities had expected them to have been out of the competition earlier.

"The hours were set before we played Madrid," he said. "They thought we were going to lose. But we deservedly won, they did not realise, and we have to play on Saturday after having played on Wednesday against Barcelona."

Simeone is expected to make a number of changes to his line-up, with goalkeeper Miguel Angel Moya, defender Diego Godin, midfielders Koke and Tiago and centre-forward Mario Mandzukic likely to come in.

^ Back to Top ^