Celtic boss breaks silence on Diego Simeone’s actions.

 

If Atletico Madrid had come to Celtic Park hoping for an easy night, then they were certainly served a reality check. The Hoops put in a solid performance against the Spanish giants and if they had luck on their side, they might have even scripted a famous victory in Europe under the bright lights of Parkhead. A 2-2 draw was a positive result for Brendan Rodgers’ side though.

Diego Simeone’s actions after the final whistle led to quite a bit of controversy. The Atletico Madrid manager seemed to barely acknowledge Rodgers’ offer of a handshake, touched the Northern Irishman’s hand and quickly headed back for the tunnel.

Many Celtic fans viewed it as a lack of sportsmanship on the part of Simeone. Rodgers has broken his silence on the matter though and it looks like it did not really bother him much and he won’t be losing any sleep over it.

As reported by the Daily Record, Rodgers’ said about Simeone’s actions after the game:

“In this country we’re very much around respect. You always hold out your hand. I know abroad they’re not so keen on it and they do their own thing. It doesn’t worry me.

“We probably surprised Atletico Madrid with our genuine quality and intensity so afterwards they would have gone back home and sat on the plane saying we were a good side. He’s a fantastic manager and he’s done great things with them so it doesn’t matter to me.”

Celtic boss breaks silence on Simeone’s actions

Celtic’s next game in the Champions League will be against Atletico Madrid as well. This time, they will be travelling to the Spanish capital.

The 2-2 draw against Simeone’s side in midweek has given them a chance in the group. But a defeat away to Atletico Madrid would be another step back. They need to get a result away in Spain.

That is easier said than done. Simeone’s side are one of the most in-form in Europe. But if we learned anything from the game at Parkhead, it is that Celtic can compete with them on their day.

Celtic have put in a number of great performances in the Champions League in recent times. Sooner or later, they need to start converting them into wins though if they are to make progress at the European level.