It's interesting that some elements of the English media seem determined to maintain their position that Athletico are just a bunch of scallywags and that somehow being good at the "dark arts" is something to boast about. It is all a bit of a lark. There has been very little focus on their racist fans making Hitler salutes in the first leg, booing the players taking a knee, and pelting Pep with bottles, and from some quarters, not much strong criticism of their players for trying to injure our team, spitting at our backroom staff, pulling hair, headbutting etc etc.
Why is it that Athletico fans, players, and their manager have such a problem with Manchester City? Are they driven by hatred and jealousy or is it political or even racial, given that their fans have a reputation in Spain for being anti-muslim? How much of their thuggish behaviour has been inflienced by the posionous way we are covered in the media both here and in Spain?
Some of the pundits seem to think what happened last night was just jolly japes from Simeone and his merry mob. I think the Athletico players behaved like animals and so did their thuggish Manager. Perhaps darker forces are driving the pure hatred of our club from many quarters.
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