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Atlético Madrid head coach Diego Simeone isn't concerned about Barcelona's official complaint regarding refereeing calls during the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal, appearing to take a subtle shot at Real Madrid by saying Atléti is "used to these situations" given that they're based in Madrid.
Barcelona's legal department lodged a formal complaint over disputed decisions made by referee István Kovács following Atléti's 2–0 first leg win. Simeone was pressed on the matter ahead of his team's La Liga fixture against Sevilla on Saturday, and the Argentine manager deflected the topic with a pointed response that brought Real Madrid into the conversation.
"I'm very respectful," Simeone said. "We live in Madrid, so we are used to these type of situations, if you understand what I'm saying. It's very easy to understand. So this doesn't move us at all."
Simeone appeared to take a thinly veiled swipe at Real Madrid's ongoing disputes with Spanish officials. Los Blancos have repeatedly criticized refereeing calls throughout the season, even submitting a formal complaint to FIFA earlier in the campaign over their grievances.
When pressed on whether he was referencing the pressure Real Madrid have placed on referees, Simeone simply replied, "I'm not complaining. I responded to the question about Barcelona with my opinion and said we're used to these things in Madrid."
Barcelona's Submit Official Referee Complaint With UEFA
The day after their loss to Atléti, Barcelona issued a statement confirming they would file an official complaint with UEFA over the officiating decisions they believed played a role in the defeat, pointing to one incident in particular.
"[Barcelona] consider that the refereeing did not adhere to the current law, directly influencing how the game progressed and the result," the statement read.
"The complaint centers around a specific action. In the 54th minute of the match, after play had been restarted correctly, an opponent player picked up the ball in their [penalty] area without being shown the corresponding penalty.
"Barcelona believe that this decision, combined with a serious failure by VAR to intervene, constitutes a significant error. As a result, the club has called for an investigation to be launched, access to refereeing communications, and where appropriate, official recognition of the mistakes and the implementation of relevant measures.
"In the same vein, Barcelona maintain that this is not the first time in recent Champions League campaigns that inexplicable refereeing decisions have negatively impacted the team, creating an evident double standard and hindering their ability to compete on equal footing with other clubs."
Hansi Flick was among the numerous Barcelona figures who made their displeasure over the non-penalty call abundantly clear. Nevertheless, Atléti head into the second leg in a strong position to book their place in the Champions League semifinals.
Simeone Acknowledged Atlético Have Also Complained About Referees
That said, Atlético Madrid are far from strangers when it comes to lodging their own complaints about officiating decisions.
Over the past month, Atlético Madrid have twice released public statements alluding to the preferential treatment they believe Barcelona and Real Madrid receive from referees in Spain. Atléti launched an extensive rant on their official X account following their recent derby defeat at the Bernabéu. Just last week, they also expressed outrage after Barcelona defender Gerard Martín escaped a red card during Atléti's La Liga loss to the Catalans.
All three of Spain's biggest clubs continue to apply pressure on officials over alleged bias directed at them. When reminded that Atlético themselves have complained about referees, Simeone didn't dodge the point.
"Of course, it's legal, always."
With tensions at an all-time high, Simeone's side will welcome Barcelona to the Metropolitano on Tuesday evening, looking to defend their first leg lead and eliminate the Catalans in the Champions League quarterfinals for the third time under the manager's watch.