Atlético Madrid’s players have been angered by Jürgen Klopp’s allegations that they were play-acting in their Champions League clash with Liverpool on Tuesday night.
The German boss believed the Atléti players were trying desperately to get key man Sadio Mané sent off after he was booked on 40 minutes, and Klopp ultimately decided to hook the Senegal international at half time.
Told there’s no injury to Sadio Mane. Don’t think it’s that Jurgen Klopp doesn’t trust the player, but rather that he doesn’t trust the referee to not be conned into sending him off.
— David Lynch (@LynchStandard) February 18, 2020
Dressing room sources told ESPN that Atlético’s squad were angered by the accusations and that they felt as if it was important that Liverpool should instead be ‘gracious’ in defeat. They were frustrated that the Reds’ boss hadn’t focused more on his own side’s issues given that they ‘didn’t get a shot on target in 90 minutes’.
This reaction comes after Klopp confirmed that Mané’s premature substitution at half time was as a result of fears that he could receive a second yellow card from referee Szymon Marciniak, rather than as a result of any injury.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, via ESPN, Klopp said: “I
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