Atletico Struggles to Understand Penalty Call after Losing to Lille

Atletico Madrid's Argentine coach Diego Simeone reacts during the UEFA Champions League, league phase day 3 football match between Club Atletico de Madrid and Lille LOSC at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid on October 23, 2024. (Photo by OSCAR DEL POZO / AFP)
Atletico Madrid's Argentine coach Diego Simeone reacts during the UEFA Champions League, league phase day 3 football match between Club Atletico de Madrid and Lille LOSC at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid on October 23, 2024. (Photo by OSCAR DEL POZO / AFP)
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Atletico Struggles to Understand Penalty Call after Losing to Lille

Atletico Madrid's Argentine coach Diego Simeone reacts during the UEFA Champions League, league phase day 3 football match between Club Atletico de Madrid and Lille LOSC at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid on October 23, 2024. (Photo by OSCAR DEL POZO / AFP)
Atletico Madrid's Argentine coach Diego Simeone reacts during the UEFA Champions League, league phase day 3 football match between Club Atletico de Madrid and Lille LOSC at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid on October 23, 2024. (Photo by OSCAR DEL POZO / AFP)

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone and his players were struggling to understand the penalty call that went against them in a 3-1 home loss to Lille in the Champions League on Wednesday.

The penalty was converted by Jonathan David in the 74th minute to give the visitors a 2-1 lead. Lille went on to win 3-1 at the Metropolitano stadium, The Associated Press reported.

The call came after a loose ball inside the area, with Atletico players saying that Italian referee Marco Guida made the decision after seeing a handball by midfielder Koke Resurrección.
Replays did not appear to show any touch by Koke's hands or arms on the ball. It might have touched the hand of a Lille player instead.
It took several moments for the call to be confirmed. Guida did not go to the monitors to review the play.
He did go to the sideline to show a yellow card to Simeone.
“It wasn't a penalty,” Simeone insisted. “We've been watching the replays, the referee must have made a mistake about what he saw, and those on the VAR weren't able to help him.”
It was the second loss in three Champions League matches this season for Atletico.



Ski Great Marcel Hirscher’s Comeback Season Ended by Serious Knee Injury

Marcel Hirscher of Netherlands competes in the first run of the men's slalom race during the FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup in Hochgurgl, Austria on November 24, 2024. (Photo by Johann Groder/ various sources / AFP)
Marcel Hirscher of Netherlands competes in the first run of the men's slalom race during the FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup in Hochgurgl, Austria on November 24, 2024. (Photo by Johann Groder/ various sources / AFP)
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Ski Great Marcel Hirscher’s Comeback Season Ended by Serious Knee Injury

Marcel Hirscher of Netherlands competes in the first run of the men's slalom race during the FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup in Hochgurgl, Austria on November 24, 2024. (Photo by Johann Groder/ various sources / AFP)
Marcel Hirscher of Netherlands competes in the first run of the men's slalom race during the FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup in Hochgurgl, Austria on November 24, 2024. (Photo by Johann Groder/ various sources / AFP)

Ski great Marcel Hirscher’s comeback season after five years away from the sport is over when it had barely begun.

The Austrian star tore the ACL in his left knee “during a harmless slip” while training in giant slalom, he posted on his official website on Tuesday.

“As is unfortunately the case with skiing: part of the game. Maybe I’m finally done with my journey,” said the 35-year-old Hirscher, who had surgery on Monday evening.

Hirscher returned to race this season for the first time since winning a record eighth straight overall World Cup title in March 2019. In three races his best result was 23rd in the season-opening giant slalom at Sölden, Austria.

“The second run was maybe one of the most emotional moments in my career,” Hirscher said after racing on Oct. 27.

The two-time Olympic champion and five-time world champion is the latest ski superstar sidelined by injury.

Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, who succeeded Hirscher as the men’s overall champion in 2020, is missing the whole season with ongoing issues in his recovery from a hard crash in January at the finish of a downhill in Wengen, Switzerland.

Mikaela Shiffrin, the five-time women’s overall champion, was injured crashing on Saturday when in sight of her record-extending 100th World Cup win in a giant slalom at Killington, Vermont.

Hirscher is not the only ski great making a comeback after stopping five years ago.

Lindsey Vonn, at age 40, is preparing to return in the weeks ahead in the speed races of downhill and super-G she used to dominate.