Diego Simeone: Barcelona legend Romario punched him in the face during a match

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·25 February 2022

Diego Simeone: Barcelona legend Romario punched him in the face during a match

Diego Simeone is certainly a fiery character.

The Atletico Madrid manager – who has been one of the very best in the business for nearly a decade – is as passionate as they come and he never, ever sits down when watching his team play.

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Simeone is a ball of energy on the touchline, barking orders at players and contesting every single decision from the referee that goes against his side.

The Argentine icon was much the same as a player. He was a world-class midfielder for the likes Atletico, Sevilla, Inter Milan and Lazio, but also had a fiery side that would rile the opposition and push them to breaking point.

Just ask David Beckham…

In his final season with Sevilla in 1994, Simeone’s on-pitch antics earned him a punishment far worse than the petulant kick he received from the Englishman at the 1998 World Cup.

During a match against Johan Cruyff’s Barcelona ‘Dream Team’, Simeone got under Romario’s skin so much that the Brazilian striker opted to turn into Mike Tyson.

And no, that’s not an overstatement. Romario absolutely lamped Simeone inside the penalty area with a brutal left hook and he was duly dismissed from the field of play by the referee as a result.

Take a look at footage of the crazy incident here…

Video: Romario punches Simeone in the face during a match

Do not adjust your screen, Romario really did try and protest his innocence after flooring Simeone with a haymaker worthy of winning a boxing world title.

The Barcelona icon was given a five-match ban for his actions and to be honest, he should have been suspended for far longer.

Despite being one of the greatest strikers in history, Romario was no stranger to controversy throughout the course of his career.

The man who scored 55 goals in just 70 games for Brazil left Barcelona rather unexpectedly in January 1995 after falling out with Cruyff and joined Flamengo.

Romario was soon back in Spain with Valencia, but arguments with then manager Luis Aragones saw him loaned back to Flamengo in no time at all.

Wherever he went, goals and controversy followed and it was certainly entertaining.