Steve McManaman Slams Diego Simeone’s ‘Atrocious’ Behavior During Controversial Arsenal Draw in Madrid

Steve McManaman blasts Diego Simeone for "haranguing" officials during Arsenal's draw with Atletico. Read about the VAR drama and the Arteta double standard.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 30, 2026, 5:32 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Football365

Sideline Drama Eclipses a Tactical Stalemate

The first leg of the Champions League semi-final between Atletico Madrid and Arsenal was overshadowed by what Steve McManaman described as "atrocious behavior" from the Atletico technical area. The match, which ended in a 1-1 draw after penalty conversions from Viktor Gyokeres and Julian Alvarez, turned toxic in the closing stages. McManaman, speaking on TNT Sports, expressed total frustration with the conduct of Diego Simeone and his assistants, particularly their treatment of the fourth official. The veteran pundit argued that the environment created by the Atletico bench directly interfered with the sporting integrity of the competition.

The VAR Flashpoint and Protocol Breach

The primary source of contention arose when referee Danny Makkelie awarded Arsenal a late penalty for a foul on Eberechi Eze, only to overturn the decision after a pitch-side review. McManaman lashed out at the VAR’s intervention, stating that because there was clear contact, the original call did not constitute a "clear and obvious error." He suggested that the referee’s decision to "re-referee" the game was a failure of the established protocol. The former Liverpool winger added that the constant pressure from Simeone likely influenced the referee's willingness to second-guess his own initial judgment on the field.

Orchestrating the Officials and the Crowd

Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown joined the criticism, accusing Simeone of deliberately creating a chaotic atmosphere to unnerve the officiating crew. Keown remarked that the Atletico manager "orchestrates the officials" just as much as he does the home crowd in Madrid. According to Keown, the referee eventually "buckled under the pressure" applied from the sidelines, leading him to abandon his original decision at the monitor. The pundit emphasized that while "dark arts" are often associated with Atletico, the scenes witnessed on Wednesday crossed a line into unprofessionalism that disrupted the flow of the match.