‘I’m not racist & I was spat on’ - Liverpool fan slams ‘coward’ Simeone

Carlo Garganese

• Updated: 18 Sep 2025 06:21 CDT
• 4 min read

News

The Liverpool fan at the centre of the Diego Simeone touchline bust-up at Anfield has slammed the under-pressure Atletico Madrid manager for his behaviour and cowardice.

Simeone was sent off in the closing stages of Liverpool’s last-gasp 3-2 win over Atletico in the Champions League, with Virgil van Dijk scoring an injury time equaliser.

Simeone was involved in a furious clash with a Liverpool fan in the crowd and had to be held back by stewards as he confronted him.

The Argentine coach, who has overseen a poor start to the season with Atletico winning just one game and losing two in five matches, claimed after the game that he had been “insulted for 90 minutes” by fans.

"They always talk about care, about respect, but they insult you from the crowd all game," Simeone said.

"I can't say anything back because I'm the coach. My reaction is not justifiable. But after 90 minutes of insults it's not easy."

The Liverpool fan at the centre of the Simeone storm, named Jonny Poulter, has now hit out at the former midfielder.

Poulter, who was filmed swearing and doing sexual hand signals at Simeone before the incident, denies being racist or mentioning the Falklands War.

He also called Simeone a coward for not denying when asked whether Poulter had made such remarks.

Poulter also alleged he was spat at by an assistant of Atletico.

What did Poulter say?

"Something I want to get off my chest here in regards to what happened last night with Simeone, and I think he's a bit of a coward," he began.

"When he went in and done his press conference after the game, the Spanish media has asked him what was said, if it was racist, if it was regarding the Falklands War and all this rubbish, right? There was nothing racist said by me or anyone else. There was never a mention of the Falklands War by me or anyone else.

"But the fact that he was asked it, and he didn't answer the question, and he just got up and walked out, has left it open for speculation for the world.

"I've had messages on every platform, I don't know how many, of people saying, 'Oh what did he say, what did you say'. I never said nothing apart from, 'Hey, hey, f*** off,' we've won, basically, as you do.

"Um, but that's what he done to us when they scored the equaliser. He and his assistant manager, giving it in front of us, and obviously he was getting called a s***house or whatever else."

Poulter added: "And his assistant manager then came over and spat at me.”

Simeone is under pressure to improve results at Atletico.

His team only won their first La Liga game of the season at the weekend against Villarreal 2-0 after previously losing 2-1 to Espanyol and drawing 1-1 with Elche and Alaves.

Atletico also need to recover in the Champions League after losing 3-2 at Liverpool.

Trailing 2-0 within six minutes to goals from Andy Robertson and Mo Salah, Atletico hit back with a double by Marcos Llorente.

But a last gasp Van Dijk goal means they returned to Spain with no points.