The Atletico coach later explained that his applause was for the fans, who had built a wall of noise during the draw, an outrageous scene in a high-risk situation. But why did he go so early? Maybe he realized that the game was over, the 0-0 was unbreakable, City will definitely qualify thanks to the goal of Kevin De Bruyne in the first game. And so it was a bit like a manager shaking hands with his opponent before whistling the final whistle. a gesture of athleticism, something that creates a moment. Did Simeone think it was over? Or was it a ploy to create the energy for one last push, which Atletico did? In the 13th minute of the delays, the substitute Angel Correa unloaded for a goal and was blocked by a clever repulse of Anderson. Atletico was so close. But the more Simeone continued to applaud and the crowd followed him, the more the alternative reading appeared. Like everyone in the red and whites, Simeone was outraged by his side’s inability to take advantage of its dominance in the second half and outraged by City’s efforts to waste time – the game, the turmoil, the need for treatment. There was a sardonic underground current. Congratulations on winning like that. As Atletico can do. Shouldn’t City be better, purer? Simeone would deny it. Just as Pep Guardiola had denied and will continue to deny that he criticized Simeone and Atletico after the first match. The City coach had said that “from prehistory” it was difficult to face a team that defends deeply with two lines of five. Many people in Madrid interpreted this as an excavation, but Guardiola claimed that he was simply praising Atletico as the master of the approach. Smiling or applauding while receiving the low blow. killing with kindness. It was the subject of the meeting between the champions of Spain and England. Diego Simeone is trying to make his feelings known to the players of Manchester City. Photo: Lee Smith / Action Images / Reuters The third reading of Simeone’s behavior in delays was the most unlikely. Was it an admiration for City? You have finally learned how to close a result. Guardiola has been judged as a magician in recent days. He played like Liverpool against Liverpool in Sunday’s 2-2 game in the Premier League, using fast, long balls on the channels. Now he had played like Atletico against Atletico. “I try to imitate the best teams and learn,” Guardiola said after the game against Liverpool with such sincerity that he felt he had to be sarcastic. It is the tone that infuriates some of his opponents, including Simeone. “Often, those who are very eloquent are very smart and have a way of praising you with contempt,” Simeone said after Wednesday’s draw. “But those of us who are perhaps less eloquent are not stupid.” No matter how you cut it, Guardiola and City were under the skin of Simeone and Atletico. On one level, it was hilarious to hear Atletico honeymooning for City’s use of dark arts, the latest word in pots and pans. But more seriously, City had found a way to pass one of football’s biggest tests – the Metropolitano – and it was a new way to tie them even tighter, especially after the massive hand-to-hand battle that broke out in the 89th minute, thin. There was sweetness in the action of the second half of the second half, in the suffering, which was closed by Phil Fontaine. The foreman was beaten and covered in blood, his head tied from the 12th minute after he was cleared in an aerial challenge by Felipe. But he refused to be deceived. Phil Foden ends up on the lawn as another set-to evolves in Wanda Metropolitano. Photo: carscar del Pozo / AFP / Getty Images “Incredible competitive mindset,” said Rodri of City. “In this sense, we are growing a lot in recent years. We have to keep improving because we will experience such moments in the next games. We must have a strong mentality, be together and never give up “. A defective performance of the city remained. Play like they did in the second half and they will probably go out with Real Madrid in the semi-final. It was weird to see how City could not connect any kind of forward. much of it was sideways or passing for his sake. When Atletico jumped on its press, City could not see the places. They had drowned, barely managed to cross halfway. The Fiver: subscribe and receive our daily football email. City suffered collateral damage, injuring De Bruyne and Kyle Walker. The schedule remains intense and the distance with an opponent like Atletico, with the travel requirements to and from Madrid, is not the perfect preparation for another meeting with Liverpool on Saturday – in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley. It was not lost on anyone at City that Liverpool were able to rest the players in their second home Champions League quarter-final home game against Benfica on Wednesday, which was smoother for them. But City are in their third Champions League semi-final, one step closer to the holy grail of a first triumph in the tournament. The hope is that the emotion and how they did it can prevail over the top bodies and minds.
