Soccer
  • Home
  • Football
  • Atletico Madrid facing possible UEFA punishment after Champions League bust up with Manchester City

Atletico Madrid facing possible UEFA punishment after Champions League bust-up with Manchester City

After the quarter-final tie between Atletico Madrid and Manchester City descended into chaos on Wednesday night, the Spanish club could be facing UEFA punishment for their actions.

Manchester City headed to Madrid this week looking to defend a one-goal lead they earned at home in the first leg.

Even that win didn't come easy, with a stubborn Atletico Madrid side setting themselves up to defend fiercely and look to win the tie back home at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium.

The second leg was bound to follow a similar path, and after a tense goalless 80 minutes, we were in for a blockbuster finale with everything to play for. Things were inevitably going to boil over.

That's precisely what happened on Wednesday evening, with nine players receiving cards in the final 20 minutes of the game, including a red for Atletico defender Felipe.

Phil Foden was at the centre of it all, with the City youngster already bloodied by Felipe in the first half, before being victim of a rash challenge late on.

With Atletico eager to resume play and level the scores, both sides were involved in a bust-up that continued off the pitch and down the tunnel following the final whistle.

Eventually - after 10 minutes of injury time - City sealed the victory and booked themselves a spot in the semi-finals where they'll play Real Madrid, but Atletico may yet have salt rubbed into their fresh wounds.

UEFA are able to hand out punishments for clubs failing to control their players, and after Atletico players were pictured grabbing hair, making rash tackles and being sent off, there's every chance the sporting organisation could step in.

While Pep Guardiola mostly stayed out of the chaos that ensued late on, the Spanish manager was peppered with bottles and objects from angered Atletico fans at the end of the game, but he refused to comment on the drama, insisting he had "nothing to say".

What Guardiola did say though, is that his team are in "trouble" following injuries to Kevin De Bruyne and Kyle Walker, on top of Foden's visible head injury.
"We are in big trouble," said Guardiola.
"We cannot forget we played three days ago a tough game against Liverpool. We came here, we have a lot of injuries.
"I don't know what will happen in the next weeks but today we are going to celebrate."
Should Atletico be handed any fines, warnings or bans by UEFA, it would come just days after the club were hit by a partial stadium closure, due to the "discriminatory behaviour" of their fans in the first leg against City.

READ MORE: Pep Guardiola shrugs off Atletico Madrid antics after Man City make Champions League semis

More Articles