Ancelotti vs. Simeone: Atletico coach Taunts real boss over memory

Diego Simeone and Carlo Ancelotti | Photo: Reuters

The rivalry between Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti and Atletico Madrid's Diego Simeone is showing no signs of cooling down. The Atletico boss has reignited tensions with a pointed comment aimed at Ancelotti's memory, adding another layer to their already heated feud. 

The latest spat began after Real Madrid's emphatic 5-2 win over Celta Vigo in the Copa del Rey. The match was marred by controversy when the referee faced accusations of ignoring a clear penalty claim for Celta. Addressing the uproar, Simeone remarked, “It didn’t start with yesterday’s game. This has been happening for 100 years. I don’t know why people are surprised.” 

Ancelotti quickly fired back, defending Real Madrid’s storied legacy. “You have to say things like this to keep the fans happy,” Ancelotti retorted. “The whole world knows what Real Madrid has achieved in its 125-year history. These comments feel like thorns pricking someone’s skin.”

Simeone speaks at a press conference | Photo: X handle

But Simeone wasn’t done yet. Speaking to the media, he delivered another jab, saying, “I never respond to my colleagues’ comments. I just wanted to remind you of something. That’s normal. They are a very good team and are doing well, but when they talk about other teams, the narrative changes.”

Simeone also referenced Ancelotti’s past remarks from his time as Bayern Munich’s coach in the 2017 Champions League. Following Bayern’s controversial defeat to Real Madrid, Ancelotti had described the outcome as “unfair” and “abnormal.” Simeone quipped, “If someone revisits that match, they’ll see how the coach commented on what happened on the pitch.”

The war of words between the two tacticians adds another layer of drama to the on-field rivalry between their teams. Currently, Real Madrid sits at the top of the league standings with 46 points from 20 matches, while Atletico Madrid trails closely in second place with 44 points.

With both teams battling for supremacy, the tension between Ancelotti and Simeone is likely to escalate further in the coming weeks, both on and off the pitch. Fans will be eagerly awaiting Ancelotti’s response to Simeone’s latest remarks as the rivalry continues to captivate the football world.