Tensions Rise in Jeddah: Vini Jr. and Simeone’s Heated Exchange

Intense Back-and-Forth

The match in Jeddah saw a series of barbs exchanged between the two, at times in jest and at other moments more seriously. Ultimately, Vini Jr. hit back by inviting Simeone to “meet me” following the conclusion of the game.

Simeone Responds

After the match, Simeone reflected on the rivalry, saying, “What transpires on the pitch, ever since we were young, remains there; there’s nothing more to add.”

A Notable Provocation

During the game, a cheeky comment made by Simeone to Vini was caught by microphones. He warned the Brazilian, “Florentino (Perez, president of Real Madrid) is going to get you fired, just remember what I said…”

Vini responded with a playful smile, “I don’t recall, my memory isn’t great.”

The Root of the Conflict

The tension escalated when Atlético’s bench reacted passionately after a shot from Julián Álvarez hit Real defender Toni Rüdiger’s hand, calling for a penalty. This incident sparked Vini’s provocative attitude towards the Atlético bench.

Vini approached, sarcastically asserting, “Yeah, they’re definitely going to award you a penalty.”

Simeone, noticing Vini’s antics from the sidelines, urged him to focus on the match rather than the crowd. In response, the Brazilian maintained his playful demeanor, retorting, “Don’t worry, they’ll give you a penalty shortly.”

Simeone’s warning about Florentino Pérez stemmed from Vini’s comments.

Rising Emotions

Despite the apparent light-heartedness of their exchanges, Vini’s contemptuous demeanor towards Simeone and his staff led to a heated confrontation with Real captain Dani Carvajal during halftime. Simeone appeared to explain the source of the altercation as they went down the tunnel.

In the 81st minute, when Vini was substituted by Xabi Alonso, the conflict flared up once more. Simeone confronted Vini, who then issued a challenge for a discussion post-game, to which Simeone readily agreed.