){kind=link}
Diego Simeone Apologizes for Conduct Towards Vinícius Júnior and Florentino Pérez
Atlético Madrid manager Diego Simeone has publicly apologized for his behavior during and after the Spanish Super cup semi-final against Real Madrid, specifically addressing his interactions with both Vinícius Júnior and Real Madrid President Florentino Pérez. The incident, which occurred during the match in Saudi arabia, drew criticism and accusations of unsportsmanlike conduct.
During the heated match, Simeone was observed repeatedly telling vinícius Júnior that Pérez would “get rid of him,” a statement widely interpreted as an attempt to unsettle the player and undermine his position within the club. Following the game, and subsequent accusations of poor sportsmanship from Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso, Simeone addressed the controversy in a press conference on Monday.
“First of all, I would like to apologize to Florentino and Vinícius for the incident the othre day,” Simeone stated. “it wasn’t right and for that I want to apologize.” He further acknowledged his error in judgment, adding, “It wasn’t right of me to put myself in that situation and I obviously accept that I wasn’t right, I shouldn’t have said what I said.The team that wins is the one that deserves to go through, so thereS nothing more to add.”
Simeone’s apology marks a significant retraction from the tense atmosphere that followed the Madrid derby. While he refrained from elaborating further on the specifics of the incident, his acknowledgement of wrongdoing aims to de-escalate the situation and restore a degree of professional respect.
in a seperate segment of the press conference, Simeone offered praise for Barcelona’s current form and the impact of their manager, Hansi Flick.”Barcelona is in a very good moment, with a coach who has very clear ideas,” he commented. “It is indeed a team that pursues a footballing idea and the result is clear in the trophies it is winning.” This acknowledgment highlights the competitive landscape of La Liga and Simeone’s recognition of Barcelona’s success under new leadership.