SIMEONE SLAPS AND SHOVES ARSENAL STAR IN TUNNEL BUST-UP AS ARTETA 'INCREDIBLY FUMING'

Diego Simeone gesticulates on the touchline for Atletico Madrid.

Diego Simeone slapped and shoved Ben White in a tunnel bust-up as Arsenal drew 1-1 with Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final.

Viktor Gyokeres gave Arsenal the lead from the spot after he was bundled over in the box by Dávid Hancko, before Julian Alvarez also converted a penalty to level the tie following a Ben White handball.

Arsenal will head into the second leg at the Emirates as strong favourites to prevail and reach the Champions League final, but can expect a nervy, tense affair in the return leg after the game at the Wanda Metropolitan threatened to boil over following an incident at half-time.

Tensions rose as White walked over Atletico’s badge and was taken to task by Giuliano Simeone for what was seen as a sign of disprespect.

Diego Simeone then pulled his son away before speaking to White, slapping him on the back multiple times and shoving the Arsenal defender.

White wasn’t happy with Atletico manager’s reaction and pushed back before a number of players and staff stepped in to separate the pair.

There was late controversy in the game when referee Danny Makkelie overturned his decision to award Arsenal another penalty for a Hancko foul on Eberechi Eze after being asked to consult his pitch-side monitor.

And Mikel Arteta revealed after the game why he was “absolutely fuming” with the incident.

“We were disappointed for the Atlético penalty,” Arteta said. “In the Premier League, it’s not a penalty but here I have to accept that with the rules and how consistent they’ve been, I accept that this is a handball.

“What I’m incredibly ­fuming with is how the hell the penalty on Ebs gets overturned in the ­manner that it happened when there is no clear and obvious error. This changes the course of the game. And at this level, I’m sorry but this cannot happen.

“A very clear explanation of the decision is what happens for a period of time [when] a referee has to watch it 13 times. What’s more clear than that? It’s impossible and we are all fuming about it. We need to apply the rules … [the way] they applied the rules on Ben White’s penalty.

“When you have fought so hard for nine months to be in this ­position … I mean, that’s another goal that changed completely the course of the tie. And it cannot happen. We put so much on it. So, so, so much on it. This cannot happen.

“There is clear contact. If you make that decision, you cannot overturn that decision. When you have to look at it 13 times … at this level it’s ­completely unacceptable.”

- Will Ford

FURIOUS DIEGO SIMEONE SLAMS VAR PENALTY DECISION AFTER CONTROVERSIAL REAL MADRID DEFEAT

Atletico Madrid star Julian Alvarez saw his penalty cancelled by VAR midway through the shootout against rivals Real Madrid, having been adjudged to have touched the ball twice

Julian Alvarez double-kicked his penalty according to VAR (Image: Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone insists that Julian Alvarez's penalty against Real Madrid shouldn't have been disallowed.

Alvarez took Atletico's second penalty in a dramatic shootout after his team beat their local rivals 1-0 in the second leg of their Champions League round-of-16 clash, making the scores 2-2 on aggregate. The ex-Manchester City star slipped while taking his shot but the ball still went high into the back of the net.

Before Real's Federico Valverde could take the next penalty, though, a VAR check took place. Polish video assistant referee Tomasz Kwiatkowski ruled that Alvarez's standing foot had touched the ball before his shot, resulting in the penalty going down as a miss.

That gave Carlo Ancelotti's visiting side the advantage and they made it count to win the shootout 4-2. Simeone was skeptical of the decision, saying during his post-match press conference: "I've just seen the images, the referee says Julian touches the ball with his supporting leg, but the ball doesn't move.

"That's debatable, whether it was a goal or not. But I'm proud of my players, I'm honestly happy, because we competed in an exemplary way."

The Argentine continued: "When Julian kicks [the penalty], the ball doesn't even move a bit. I imagine that they called the VAR and saw that he touched it. I want to believe that they'll have seen that he touched it."

Simeone then told journalists who were in the room: "Raise your hand, anyone who saw Julian touch it twice. Who is going to raise their hand? Nobody has raised their hand."

Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who used to play for Atletico under Simeone, accused them of 'victimhood'. I felt that he touched the ball twice and I told the referee. It's not easy to see that. It was a bit of bad luck," Courtois explained. "For UEFA, it's clear. I'm sick of this victimhood, always crying about things like this.

Julian Alvarez's penalty went down as a miss, handing Real Madrid the advantage ( Image: Alberto Gardin/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)

"Referees don't want to benefit one team or another in Spain or in Europe, for them it was clear. With the technology, in the VAR room they saw it clearly, they have a lot of cameras and a lot of images."

Ancelotti agreed and concluded: "It looks to me like he touches it with his left foot. [Penalties] are a lottery, heads or tails. It came up heads today. Atletico go out with their heads high."

Real will face Arsenal in the quarter-finals, playing the first leg away on April 8 before the second match at home on April 16.

- Nathan Ridley