(foto: Getty Images)
Diego Simeone clashed with former Atletico Madrid sporting director Andrea Berta after Arsenal eliminated Atletico from the Champions League semi-final.
Diego Simeone completely lost his temper during the closing moments of Atletico Madrid’s Champions League semi-final defeat against Arsenal.
The tense scenes unfolded deep into stoppage time at the Emirates Stadium, where Arsenal protected a narrow 1-0 lead to secure qualification for the final.
The referee added five minutes of extra time, and Atletico Madrid continued to hope for one last chance.
On the touchline, Simeone was visibly furious and constantly reacting to every decision. Then the Argentine coach noticed somebody gesturing toward the referee to end the match.
That person turned out to be Andrea Berta, the former Atletico Madrid sporting director who now works for Arsenal.
According to reports from Spain, Simeone immediately stormed toward the Italian official, pushed him during the confrontation, and allegedly received a slap in return before staff members stepped in to separate them.
The heated exchange quickly became one of the major talking points after the final whistle.
For Berta, the night ended in celebration after Arsenal booked their place in the Champions League final. For Simeone, it was a bitter and emotional exit.
Andrea Berta spent 12 years at Atletico Madrid between 2013 and 2025. He first served as technical director before becoming sporting director.
During his time in Madrid, he worked closely with Simeone and played a major role in transfers involving stars such as Antoine Griezmann and Jan Oblak.
Last year, Berta joined Arsenal, replacing former sporting director Edu, who surprisingly moved to Nottingham Forest.