Arsenal fans heckle Diego Simeone after stepping on badge following Champions League defeat
The Gunners faithful were seen waiting for Simeone to exit the Emirates pitch towards the changing rooms following a row in Madrid last week after Ben White sparked a scuffle due to stepping on Atletico’s badge
Diego Simeone was targeted by Arsenal fans after being seen to step on the club’s badge following the Champions League semi-final second leg. Bukayo Saka’s goal was enough to split the teams on the night with a 1-0 win sending Mikel Arteta ’s side into the final in Budapest 2-1 on aggregate. But after raging at Ben White for stepping on Atletico’s badge in the Metropolitano Stadium last week during the first leg, Simeone was targeted in defeat in London, with the home crowd able to influence the contest, according to Arteta.
Video surfaced after the game of Simeone stepping on the Arsenal crest, which greets the players and coaching staff between the pitch and changing rooms. And the footage suggested a contradiction in the Argentine coach’s approach after his visible anger last week towards White. Simeone could be seen looking down at the ground before stepping on the Arsenal badge and disappearing into the tunnel towards the dressing rooms.
While most Atletico players could be seen walking around the Arsenal badge, though José María Giménez also opted to walk straight over it and was then targeted by some Gunners fans observing from above. Diego Simeone walked OVER the Arsenal badge right in front of the Gunners fans at full-time... 😳 Just one week after confronting Ben White for walking over the Atletico Madrid badge, was Simeone being 'disrespectful' himself?
👀 pic. twitter. com/CdVKm6wINS — talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) May 6, 2026 Arteta hailed the impact of the lively Emirates crowd and the difference they made in the tie.