Harry Maguire took a swipe at Atletico Madrid’s players for going down too easily after Manchester United were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League.
Renan Lodi’s first-half header was enough to separate the teams at Old Trafford and give La Liga champions Atletico a win over Premier League giants United.
Diego Simeone’s side, who have reached two Champions League finals, are known for their affiliation with the dark arts and used every trick to slow down the game and frustrate United as they searched for an equaliser.
Asked about Atletico Madrid’s tactics after they booked their place in the quarter-finals, Maguire told beIN SPORTS: ‘The style in Europe… it’s not for me to comment on but every time you touch someone it’s a foul.
‘Anthony [Elanga] has a header early on, he heads it over, the keeper [Jan Oblak] clatters him and he gets a foul for it.
‘It’s a different style but maybe we need to learn and grow from it. We got too frustrated and started losing our shape and the momentum. It’s something we need to learn from.’
Atletico’s victory means that, for a fifth campaign in a row, Manchester United have failed to win any silverware. Ralf Rangnick’s still have a top-four spot to fight for in the league but Arsenal are the clear favourites.
Maguire added: ‘The decisions didn’t go our way tonight but we had long enough to get back in the game and get an equaliser and we didn’t do it.
‘We’re all disappointed. It’s a sad dressing room right now. The lads are gutted. ‘We thought we did enough to get something from the game but ultimately we’re out of the Champions League and the lads are gutted.’
Atletico have joined Liverpool, Man City, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Benfica in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, while Chelsea look set to follow suit on Wednesday.
United interim manager Ralf Rangnick echoed Maguire’s comments in his post-match interview, claiming ‘there was always somebody lying on the floor’ and questioning the ‘curious’ refereeing.
The German coach said: ‘I think we played a very good first half – exactly the way we wanted to play with a high energy level but we couldn’t convert that into one or two goals.
‘We had a few good moments where we should have scored but we didn’t. Conceding that counter-attacking goal just before half-time didn’t make life any easier.
‘It was hard in the second half and always interrupted. There was always somebody lying on the floor. I would also say some curious refereeing decisions.
‘I wouldn’t say they were decisive but at least he fell too often for those time-wasting antics and four minutes at the end added on was a joke for me.’
