This week saw Liverpool crash out of the Champions League. The Reds were beaten by Atletico Madrid at Anfield with Jürgen Klopp’s side incredibly unlucky to be dumped out of the competition. Speaking after the game Diego Simeone said he believes that Atletico Madrid had an ‘unfair’ advantage over Liverpool.
Diego Simeone has said that Atletico had an ‘unfair’ advantage due to the away goal rule. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Atletico Madrid brought a one goal advantage to Anfield, having netted a lucky opener at the Wanda Metropolitano.
It was Liverpool that opened the scoring on the night, Gini Wijnaldum nodded past Jan Oblak following an inch perfect cross from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
With the aggregate score level after normal time, Roberto Firmino put the hosts into the lead early on in extra time.
However, just a few minutes later Atletico Madrid were gifted the tie when Adrian handed them possession in an attacking area. The visitors slotted past the Spaniard twice in a matter of minutes, he should have saved both efforts.
The away goal rule meant that drawing the aggregate score wouldn’t be enough for Liverpool, they were left needing two goals and conceded another in their pursuit.
Speaking after the game, as quoted by the Liverpool ECHO, Diego Simeone confessed he believes Atletico Madrid had an ‘unfair’ advantage due to the away goal rule:
“What I have to say, and will be saying at the next UEFA coaches’ meeting, is what I think is unfair.
“Today was unjust because we had 30 minutes of extra time to score three away goals. Liverpool never had that. We had 30 more minutes to score an away goal and Liverpool didn’t. That’s not fair.”
What RTK has to say
Diego has taken the words right out of our mouth. The Reds fell victim to an archaic clause of the away goal rule last night.
Away goals are an integral part of the competition and we don’t want to see them done away with entirely but they shouldn’t be allowed in extra time, it just doesn’t make sense.
Whilst people will argue that you get an extra half an hour at home, at the elite level that isn’t worth two goals.