Atletico Madrid player suggests the referee made a big mistake during their game against Arsenal

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Atletico Madrid defender Jose Maria Gimenez was not happy with referee Davide Massa after Arsenal’s Champions League win. 

Atletico did all that they could to keep Arsenal at bay, but the Gunners were simply too strong.

Mikel Arteta’s side tore Diego Simeone’s squad apart with a 4-0 win on matchday three of the Champions League, with Viktor Gyokeres, Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Martinelli responsible for the goals.

It was no surprise that the opening goal came from a set-piece, as Arsenal flexed their superiority once again, but Atletico’s Gimenez felt the decision to award the free-kick was wrong.

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Jose Maria Gimenez had a problem with Arsenal’s first goal vs Atletico Madrid

When referee Davide Massa blew for a foul on Martinelli, the Emirates grew excited, knowing what a dead-ball situation often means for the Gunners. 

Massa awarded the free-kick for a foul on Martinelli, with the perpetrator believed to be Marcos Llorente, but many thought the Brazilian was actually the villain.

Speaking to the media after the contest, Gimenez stood up for his teammate, saying that the goal came from a set-piece that should’ve never been awarded.

“The goal from the set ball that comes from a foul that is not [a foul] and is a soul blow,” he said.

Martinelli turned his back on Llorente when running towards the defender, pushing his arm out, causing both the Atletico man and himself to fall to the ground.

In Massa’s eyes, the passage of play merited an Arsenal free-kick, which enraged the Atletico players, something Gimenez wasn’t prepared to mask.

With Declan Rice standing over the ball and Gabriel getting on the end of the delivery, there was only ever going to be one outcome, something Atletico surely feared.

Declan Rice earns another assist from a set-piece

Gabriel is unstoppable from set-pieces, but so is Rice, who added another assist to his tally from a dead-ball situation.

It was the midfielder’s tenth assist from a set-piece in all competitions since signing for Arsenal in 2023, with only Inter Milan’s Hakan Calhanoglu having more.

During the game, Alan Shearer said Rice deserves a bonus for his set-piece taking ability, as the Englishman’s delivery was inch-perfect once again.

It was a tough goal for Atletico to concede, as not only are Arsenal’s set-pieces almost a cheat code in today’s game, but there was reason to complain about the free-kick being awarded in the first place.