“I’m not that impressed” – Atletico Madrid star slammed for performance against Liverpool

“I’m not that impressed” – Atletico Madrid star slammed for performance against Liverpool Alexander Isak Incident Exposes Atletico Madrid Approach at Anfield Liverpool got the result they wanted at Anfield, but the talking point that lingered was not the winning goal. It was the treatment of Alexander Isak, and the reaction to a challenge that looked far more calculated than careless. Credit to Freddie Ljungberg on Viaplay, via Expressen, for saying plainly what plenty in the ground were already thinking. This was one of those European nights where Atletico Madrid tried to drag the occasion into the weeds. The match only produced two yellow cards, but anyone watching closely could see the constant edge to it, the nudges, delays, and little acts designed to break rhythm. That is part of Atletico’s identity under Diego Simeone, and they rarely apologise for it. Fine. But there is a line between being streetwise and being reckless. Photo: IMAGO Alexander Isak challenge drew justified anger Just before the interval, Cristian Romero arrived late on Isak and caught him with his studs. The Liverpool forward went down, recovered, and then had to leave the pitch briefly because of the current rule requiring treatment delays to be managed off the field. That only added irritation to a poor piece of defending. Ljungberg did not dress it up. He said: “It would have been nice if Liverpool had a [Patrick] Vieira or someone who could have crushed Romero with his style of play. I’m not that impressed.” He then went further: “I live in England. I watch an incredible amount of English football and have seen him [Romero] at Spurs. This isn’t an accident. He does this on purpose, and the referees don’t get it. I think it’s a shame. “In the good old days, he wouldn’t have been able to play like that. Back then, he’d have been given such a beating.” Strong words, yes, but not random words. Romero has built a career on walking that line and occasionally stepping over it. People can call that competitive edge if they like. Others will call it what it often looks like, cynicism. Cristian Romero reputation did him no favours When a player repeatedly goes in late, catches opponents high, and then benefits from lenient officiating, it stops being an isolated moment. It becomes a pattern. That is why Ljungberg’s criticism landed. Romero’s track record in English football already shaped the context, and this challenge fitted the file. It also mattered because it was on Isak, a forward Liverpool rely on heavily. There is a difference between hard football and cheap contact. This belonged in the second category. Davide Massa had a decision to make and took the soft option. Atletico will take that every time. Liverpool win was best possible response The satisfying part for Liverpool was simple. They kept their heads and won the match. Alexis Mac Allister settled it with a superb goal after the break, and that shifted the story back to football where it belonged. Atletico left with nothing, which was about right. If there is a broader takeaway, it is that Liverpool handled both the contest and the nonsense around it. Isak got up, carried on, and his side got the points. Atletico Madrid gamesmanship can unsettle teams. It did not work here. In the end, that is the cleanest verdict of all. Our View From a Liverpool supporter’s angle, this was deeply annoying and faintly funny at the same time. Atletico turned up acting like a side on a covert mission, slowing restarts, poking at tempers, and hoping the referee would wave it all through. Which, to be fair, happened often enough. And still they lost. That challenge on Isak had all the familiar hallmarks, late, unnecessary, and followed by the usual shrug of innocence. We have seen that film before. The amusing bit is that sides who lean this heavily into dark arts always seem shocked when people mention it afterwards. They want credit for being clever, but no criticism for being cynical. That is not how this works. Ljungberg said what many fans were saying in less printable language. Good. Football needs a bit more honesty around this stuff. You can admire aggression, intensity and edge. You do not have to admire snide contact dressed up as commitment. Best of all, Liverpool gave the proper answer. No grandstanding, no meltdown, just a win. Mac Allister scored, Anfield enjoyed itself, and Atletico went home empty-handed with their gamesmanship achieving absolutely nothing. There is something inherently comic about that. If you are going to be obnoxious, at least get a result out of it. They did not. Source: Freddie Ljungberg on Viaplay