Referee intervenes
Atlético coach freaks out shortly before the final whistle
Updated May 6, 2026 – 9:40 amReading time: 1 min.
Atlético failed at Arsenal and missed out on a place in the premier class final. Shortly before the final whistle, things became uneasy on the sidelines.
Head coach Diego Simeone clashed with his former sporting director shortly before the final whistle of the Champions League semi-final second leg between his Atlético Madrid and Arsenal FC. The Spaniard stormed towards the London bench shortly before the final whistle. Then he attacked Andrea Berta.
The Italian has been sporting director at the Gunners for a year and previously worked in the same role at Atlético from 2017 to 2025. On TV images you can see that Berta waves in the direction of the German referee Daniel Siebert; the five-minute stoppage time had expired. Simeone then ran towards the Italian and pushed him before the fourth official, Tobias Stieler, and others intervened.
In the end it didn’t help Simeone. His team ended up losing 0-1, the first leg ended 1-1. This means that Atlético was denied its third final appearance under its coach after 2014 and 2016. Arsenal, on the other hand, reached the final of the Champions League for the first time since 2006 and can dream of their first triumph ever in the premier class.
