Simeone apologizes to Vinícius and Real Madrid president after heated Super Cup clash

By: The Associated Press Posted: 7:44 AM CST Monday, Jan. 12, 2026

MADRID (AP) — Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone apologized to Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez and forward Vinícius Júnior on Monday after arguing with the player during a Spanish Super Cup match.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 12/01/2026 (263 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Simeone and Vinícius provoked each other during Madrid’s 2-1 win over Atletico in the Super Cup semifinals in Saudi Arabia on Thursday.

The coach was seen telling Vinícius that Pérez was going to kick him out of the club, in an apparent reference to the player’s recent spats with opponents and even Madrid coach Xabi Alonso.

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, third from right, receives a yellow card during the Spanish Super Cup semifinal soccer match against Atletico Madrid at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

“First of all, I’d like to apologize to Florentino and to Vinícius because of what happened,” Simeone said during his news conference on Monday. “It wasn’t nice for me to put myself in that position and I admit that it wasn’t correct.”

Atletico visits Deportivo La Coruña in the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey on Tuesday.