WATCH: “Whomever saw it, raise their hand” – Diego Simeone goes off about Julian Alvarez penalty | OneFootball

Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone remained unconvinced about the penalty decision that ultimately led to their elimination against Real Madrid in the Champions League Round of 16. Julian Alvarez’s penalty was ruled out for a double touch, after a swift review concluded that he had touched the ball twice while shooting.

After the match, Simeone was rather sanguine about the result, but when it came to the penalty decision, he was irrepressible. As shown by TNT Sports, Simeone asked the press who saw the double touch to raise their hand.er

Los Rojiblancos have found themselves on the end of a number of cruel endings at the hands of Real Madrid, and Simeone was asked whether he felt his side were affected by their defeat on penalties in Milan in 2016 to the same rival.

“The players who were there today weren’t in the previous shootouts. Oblak was, but that’s not something to be judged on. We played a very good game, we competed incredibly. We could have increased the score in extra time,” he told Marca later on in his press conference.

Alvarez reportedly told his family that he did not appreciate any double touch at the time, although fresh footage shows the ball moving slightly before his right foot strikes it.

“Apparently, the referee says he touches the ball, but the ball doesn’t move. I’ve never seen VAR review a penalty in a shootout. I’m proud of my players, I’m happy. We couldn’t beat them, but they had a bad time… I’m sure they’ve remembered saying ‘these guys always gave us a hard time’.”

Image via Sport / Champions League

Simeone remained happy with how his players had performed, in spite of the result.

“Proud of the team we have. Our fans must have enjoyed the game. They almost always beat us in the Champions League, but they’re having a tough time, a really tough time.”

The toughest task will be for Simeone to prepare his players for a Liga showdown with Barcelona on Sunday night after such a painful defeat.

“We’ll see. The way we were eliminated isn’t easy to digest. We have a tough opponent on Sunday. Barca definitely wanted us to go into extra time. We’re tired, battered, and we competed as we should have, but we’ll give everything we have.”

After losing to Getafe last weekend, and with Barcelona’s game postponed, Los Rojiblancos remain just a point back from the Catalan giants in La Liga. However Real Madrid will stand to benefit from the clash, having moved back level with Barcelona last weekend.