Rangnick slams Atletico's antics and 'curious' calls

LONDON • Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick took aim at Atletico Madrid for "time-wasting antics" after his team were eliminated from the Champions League by the Spanish champions.

A Renan Lodi header in the 41st minute earned a 1-0 win for Atletico and a 2-1 aggregate round-of-16 victory on Tuesday that put them into the last eight. The draw will take place tomorrow.

"It was hard in the second half and always interrupted. There was always somebody lying on the floor," lamented Rangnick.

"I would also say some curious refereeing decisions. I wouldn't say they were decisive but at least he fell too often for those time-wasting antics and (only) four minutes at the end added on was a joke."

United had been on top before conceding against the run of play and they threw themselves forward after the break but came up against a solid Atletico defence.

"I think we played a very good first half, exactly the way we wanted to play with high energy but we couldn't convert that into one or two goals," added Rangnick.

"We had a few good moments where we should have scored but we didn't. Conceding that counter-attacking goal just before half-time didn't make life any easier."

United now face an uphill task to get back into the Champions League next season as an under-performing squad sit fifth in the Premier League.

Atletico are also struggling just to stay in La Liga's top four this season, but the experience of Diego Simeone's men in the Champions League knockout stage shone through as they saw the game out to reach the quarter-finals for the sixth time in the last nine seasons.

Simeone was full of praise for his team's commitment.

"This team will dive into a swimming pool whether there is water in it or not," he said.

"When the team works as a team like this, it excites me. We were competitive. The goal gave us the advantage and in the second half, there was brilliant collective work, one of the best this season, which leaves me happy."

United, meanwhile, are likely to face punishment from Uefa after their fans hurled objects at Simeone at the end of the game.

The Argentinian sprinted towards the tunnel while he had plastic bottles, drinks and other objects thrown at him.

The incident will likely feature in the Uefa match delegate's report on the game and that would trigger a disciplinary investigation and any eventual sanction.

Elsewhere, Darwin Nunez's 77th-minute header helped Benfica stun Ajax Amsterdam - whose coach Erik ten Hag is a leading candidate for the United job - and reach the quarter-finals, winning 1-0 away to advance 3-2 on aggregate.

REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE