The intentional applause of Simeone and the dart to Pep Guardiola: "We are not so stupid even if we do not have so much vocabulary"

• Chronicle Atlético dies with honor in the Metropolitan

• Controversy A serious brawl in the Wanda locker room tunnel forces the police to intervene

• The clause 'Who is the coward?', by Iñako Díaz-Guerra

• The night that Guardiola was not Guardiola The resource of wasting time: "I have nothing to say"

For a few minutes, the Atlético footballers remained on the pitch thanking the public for their dedication.

The same that the stands had recognized them.

There were a few long and emotional minutes in which

, wrapped in feathers, even shed a few tears due to the emotion of an intense farewell night in Europe.

He did not run to the locker room

, who was applauding the crowd that did not stop roaring.

As if the defeat had not been such.

Perhaps a comeback is not needed for a stadium to enjoy a magical night.

There is no better example than the Metropolitan.

There was, yes, the embarrassing scene on the way to the locker room.

They were not, however, the first applause for Cholo during the night.

The Argentine coach started up twice, during the second half, with the game erupting.

On the first occasion, there was nothing to suggest that they were not intended for his fans, that he did not stop pushing in search of extra time.

In the second, already in the ninth minute of added time, focusing his gaze, with an ironic smile, towards the Manchester City bench, which closed the night between time wasters and game interruptions, his palms were more suspicious.

It was obvious that they were intended for

.

It was the epilogue of a tie marked by two conflicting styles of watching football that, curiously, ended with an unexpected exchange of roles.

"In the end, when you talk too much, you end up undressing. Nowhere did I applaud the other bench, I applauded our audience. I think it was important to applaud something strong that was being noticed on the pitch," Simeone justified his suspicious applause in the meeting room. Metropolitan press, moments after Pep Guardiola appeared.

The Spanish coach explained that statement again, where he mentioned the word prehistory, which ended up lighting the fuse towards Madrid.

"I have never criticized Atlético's game. I have nothing to say about Atlético's behavior. I have a lot of respect for him and he has a lot of merit. Don't look for me, don't look for me in the battle of styles. Cholo can play like want", the Spanish coach had previously defended himself.

"Football has a lot of facets"

The battle between Atlético and City has led to a indirect dialectical war between Simeone and Guardiola.

From the press room of the Etihad (or that of your sports city) to that of the Wanda Metropolitano.

"I do not have to give an opinion and believe that one speaks badly or well. Many times those who have a great lexicon are capable of praising you with contempt. We are not so stupid even if we do not have so much lexicon," Cholo shot, after staying at the gates of what would have been his fourth Champions League semifinals.

It was a final script that no one would have guessed.

With City embedded by an Atlético unchained.

There will be no new Madrid derby in the Champions League, despite the fact that, for 45 minutes, the rojiblancos showed the world (and also themselves) that they could look at the British team without complex.

"I consider that football has a lot of facets. I'm not going to comment on how the rival behaved. We'll stick to our own. Possibly playing the best team in the world and realizing that we were able to compete very well doesn't leave me alone or happy, because we didn't win and I feel screwed, but I do feel calm that when my old man,

, goes to bed, those who left in the pandemic saw his team that competes very well," was Simeone's final reflection.

This time, unlike in 2016, it was Guardiola who came out on top.

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