Simeone slams referee after PSG thrashing at Club World Cup
Atletico lost 4–0 to PSG in their Club World Cup opener, prompting a wave of criticism toward the referee from Simeone and the players.
Photo: Anton Zaitsev, CC BY-SA 3.0
The opening match of the Club World Cup was a nightmare for Atletico Madrid, who suffered a heavy 4–0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.
In the 19th minute, Fabián Ruiz opened the scoring with a long-range strike, and Vitinha doubled the lead in added time before halftime, with PSG enjoying 74% possession. After the break, Atletico scored, but Romanian referee István Kovács disallowed the goal following a VAR check due to a foul by Koke.
The ending turned into a PSG showcase: 18-year-old Senny Mayulu headed in Digne's cross in the 87th minute, and Lee Kang-in converted a penalty in the 90+7th when Atletico were down to ten men following Clément Lenglet’s second yellow card.
The win puts Luis Enrique’s team at the top of Group B and brings them closer to the quarterfinals.
After the final whistle, Atletico coach Diego Simeone voiced strong frustration in the press conference: “Enough. I’ve been saying the same things for 14 years. I don’t want to look like a victim. Yes, PSG were better. But the details — they’re too obvious.”
Midfielder Koke also didn’t hold back, pointing to controversial decisions by referee István Kovács, including the disallowed goal.
Despite the criticism, he acknowledged PSG’s win as deserved.
Simeone also remarked on the financial disparity: “When they needed a player — they spent 70 million. That’s it.”