Jamie Carragher wants to see Diego Simeone manage in the Premier League and has defended the tactics his Ateltico Madrid side employed during last night’s battle against .
The Spanish side were heavily criticised for the controversial scenes which marred the closing stages of a tie that was ultimately settled by Kevin De Bruyne’s solitary first leg goal.
Referee Daniel Siebert cautioned seven players during injury-time and sent-off rugged Brazilian centre-half Felipe for a second cautionable offence after he had earlier caused a head injury to .
Former City centre-half Stevan Savic was also at the centre of the trouble which then spilled into the tunnel area after the game, where and Kyle Walker both targeted.
Atletico and Simeone have both faced widespread condemnation but Carragher believes the battling qualities exhibited by the former Argentina manager would be well received were he ever given the chance to manage in England.
‘If there is one manager in the world I would love to see in the Premier League, it is Diego Simeone,’ Carragher told the .
‘Simeone was always going to provide City with a physical and emotional challenge they rarely face in England.
‘The reaction to Atletico’s performance was more over the top than anything they actually did. They were predictably aggressive and did as much as possible to prevent a free-flowing game.
‘But there were no career-threatening two footed challenges, or incidents that qualify as cheating.
‘Simeone is box office. Win or lose, he guarantees a post-match debate. The criticism shadowing him and his team today reeks of hypocrisy. Why would anyone wish to sanitise every football game?
‘Simeone has fashioned a side in his image; warrior-like, edgy, determined to maximise discomfort. No team can play against Atletico without feeling they are going to have to earn their victory.
‘There are plenty of Premier League clubs who could learn from that.’
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