After Virgil van Dijk's header sealed the win in stoppage time, Simeone angrily charged towards a spectator seated behind the coaching area, seemingly looking for a confrontation. Despite being restrained by security personnel and Atletico's coaching staff, the Argentinian manager continued arguing with the fourth official, resulting in his dismissal by referee Maurizio Mariani.

Following the match, a visibly upset Simeone repeatedly emphasized that he was "only human," claiming he had endured insults throughout the game and alluded to racial abuse. When pressed by reporters for details about the alleged racism, the 54-year-old abruptly left the press conference.

Jonny Poulter posted "Do I get an assist?", referring to the incident that led to Simeone's dismissal.

In a video on X, Poulter confirmed he was the target of Simeone's anger but denied making any racist remarks. "What I want to make clear is that Simeone wasn't being honest. I think he's a coward," Poulter stated. "I didn't say anything racist or related to the Falklands War as some Spanish newspapers have suggested. All I shouted was 'We won, get out of here,' a typical reaction in the stands."

Poulter also accused Simeone's assistant of aggressive behavior and spitting towards him. "When Atletico equalized, his assistant turned around and provoked the fans. We cursed back, calling him a coward. Then he spat at me," Poulter recounted.

The chaotic scenes at the end of the match at Anfield were captured from multiple angles. One video shows Poulter repeatedly making provocative gestures and swearing at the Atletico technical area after Marcos Llorente's equalizer made it 2-2. Another video shows Simeone attempting to confront the Liverpool fan before being sent off.

Poulter's identity and controversial past quickly came to light. According to the British newspaper Sportmail, the 30-year-old debt collector was banned from stadiums for three years after insulting another fan during Steven Gerrard's farewell match against Crystal Palace in 2015.

Jonny Poulter was previously banned from stadiums for three years and given an eight-week curfew.

In that incident, Poulter was displaying a flag and was asked to lower it as it obstructed the view of the disabled section. 61-year-old David Hingham, who was with his wife in a wheelchair, made the request. Poulter reacted angrily and allegedly said, "We've tried to get rid of the wheelchairs many times before and we will continue to do so."

The court found Poulter guilty of aggressive and insulting behavior, resulting in the three-year stadium ban and an eight-week curfew.

Hong Duy (via Daily Mail)