Bukayo Saka's goal sent Arsenal to the Champions League final after a 1-1 draw at the Wanda Metropolitano, but Madrid mayor Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida used his platform to launch a scathing attack on UEFA rather than congratulate the Gunners on a deserved victory.
In a remarkable 228-word statement, the Atletico Madrid supporter claimed his team faced a rigged competition rather than a legitimate opponent. Martinez-Almeida zeroed in on the appointment of a German referee and VAR official, calling it "incomprehensible" given Spain and Germany's rivalry for the fifth Champions League spot. He alleged UEFA made a "predetermined decision aimed at harming" Atletico Madrid and denied the team a fair contest.
Penalty Controversy Fuels Outcry
The mayor's grievances centered on two disallowed penalty appeals. He disputed the offside decision that negated a clear handball by Riccardo Calafiori on Giuliano Simeone, insisting replays on social media later proved the call wrong. His second complaint involved Antoine Griezmann's contact with Calafiori, which he felt warranted a spot kick but was overshadowed by an earlier foul decision on Marc Pubill.
Atletico's pressing style and defensive setup proved insufficient against Arsenal's clinical finishing. Despite Simeone's measured post-match comments—where he acknowledged the Gunners "deserved to get through"—the mayor's emotional response starkly illustrated the tension between Spanish football culture and European governance. His tirade stands as a peculiar moment where a sitting political leader weaponized partisan frustration against continental authorities, a scenario unimaginable in British politics. Arsenal now face Manchester City in the final, while Atletico must regroup for the La Liga title race.
