Harry Maguire took aim at Atletico Madrid's players after their Champions League success at Old Trafford.
The Spanish side secured a 1-0 win to dump out Manchester United on their own patch. Diego Simeone's street-wise outfit scored in the first-half and then controlled the remainder of the contest. Maguire attempted to avoid commenting on the differing styles of both teams but went on to show his frustration with visiting players who he believes were quick to go down.
Atletico broke up the game and denied United any momentum in the second period, which ultimately proved crucial. The Red Devils rarely tested Jan Oblak as they attempted to find an equaliser and force extra-time. Maguire confessed the team let frustration get the better of them.
He 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."
He went on to add: "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."
Ralf Rangnick took issue with some of the decisions made by the official. He highlighted how Atletico constantly won fouls but also lamented the winning goal, scored by Renan Lodi.
The German felt as if Anthony Elanga was fouled in the build up and then called out the referee for allowing the visitors to continually run the clock down, which helped them progress into the last eight of the competition.
He said: “There were some curious refereeing decisions, I wouldn’t necessarily say decisive – maybe the one they scored. I believe it was a foul on Anthony Elanga, the referee and linesman didn’t see it that way. He [Vinic] made it pretty easy for Atlético to do their time-wasting antics and it didn’t make it any easier for us. In the second half, I don’t know if the game was played for more than two minutes without being interrupted with someone lying on the floor.”
United's defeat means they will end another season without a trophy - extending their drought to five years. Their last piece of silverware came during Jose Mourinho's tenure when they won the Europa League with several near misses coming in the years since.
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