Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone believes his side were given an “unfair” Champions League advantage that helped them dump out Premier League table-toppers Liverpool.
The La Liga side scored three times in extra time to earn a 3-2 triumph at Anfield and a 4-2 aggregate success in their round of 16 ties on Wednesday.
Liverpool were leading the tie four minutes into the additional period only for Atletico substitute Marcos Llorente to score a crucial away goal moments later.
And Simeone believes the extra 30 minutes gave his team an opportunity the Reds were denied in the first game in Madrid three weeks earlier.
“What I have to say, and will be saying at the next UEFA coaches’ meeting, is what I think is unfair,” said the Atletico boss.
“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.
“The rule favoured us today but it might go against us in the future. Liverpool had 30 minutes fewer to score an away goal. That’s wrong.”
The Argentine gaffer also responded to comments from Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp that he didn’t “get” Atletico’s style of play.
“I respect his identity and the quality footballers they have,” he added.
“We try to exploit deficiencies in the opponent. That’s what we do. And we try to win.”
Earlier, Reds boss Jurgen Klopp had aimed a dig at Diego Simeone’s tactics after Atletico Madrid knocked his Liverpool side out of the Champions League.
Speaking after the defeat, Klopp told BT Sport: “I am completely happy with the performance. It’s so difficult to play a side like this.
“I don’t understand with the quality they have that they play this kind of football. I don’t understand that. But the winner is always right.
“When I see players like Llorente, Koke, Saul… they could play proper football but they stand deep in their own half and have counter-attacks.
“But they beat us so we accept that and congratulate them.”
Klopp added: “We accept it of course but it doesn’t feel right tonight.
“I realise I am a really bad loser, especially when the boys put such an effort in against world class players on the other side who defend with two rows of four.
“We know in the last two years we had some lucky moments in the Champions League, you have to, to reach two finals, but today it was everything was against us in the decisive moments.”
Leading 1-0 after the first leg in Spain, Atletico defeated Liverpool 3-2 at Anfield on Wednesday as the Reds’ hopes of winning back-to-back European titles ended.
