Real Madrid get more penalties because they attack more, says Diego Simeone as Atletico Madrid boss dismisses conspiracy theories of preferential treatment
Diego Simeone believes the reason that Real Madrid get more penalties than other teams in Spain is simply because they are on the attack more often in matches.
Los Blancos maintained their lead at the top of LaLiga on Sunday when they beat Ahtletic Bilbao 1-0, Sergio Ramos sealing the victory with a spot-kick for the second game in a row.
Barcelona defender Gerard Pique and club president Josep Maria Bartomeu have suggested Zinedine Zidane’s team, who sit four points clear, are benefiting from favourable decisions from referees.
Zidane said following the game that he was ‘tired’ of such comments and Simeone does not believe there is anything untoward going on.
‘VAR exposes everything,’ he said. Before we didn’t have the possibility of seeing some things that we now see. The referees are people who can be wrong as well,’ the Atletico Madrid boss told a news conference.
‘It is fairer. If they give you more penalties, it’s because you are in the opposition’s area more. If they attack more, like Real Madrid, it means you are there longer.
‘In the speed of the game it’s difficult to see what happens, but now another referee sees it with calmness on television. People too, from their homes.
‘Then there is a person who decides, which is the VAR. It can hurt you or help you, but now we are all clear on if its offside, if it’s a penalty… we are all more exposed.’
