VIDEO: Diego Simeone walks across Arsenal badge just days after Atletico Madrid manager's spat with Ben White for doing exact same thing

The fiery Atletico Madrid manager has found himself at the centre of a social media storm following his side’s Champions League semi-final exit at the hands of Arsenal. After Bukayo Saka’s goal secured a 1-0 win on the night, and a 2-1 aggregate victory for the Gunners, a dejected Simeone was filmed heading for the tunnel at the Emirates Stadium. However, rather than avoiding the large Arsenal crest positioned between the pitch and the dressing rooms, the 56-year-old was seen looking down and walking directly over it.

The footage has sparked outrage among the Arsenal faithful, especially given the events of the first leg at the Metropolitano. While most of his players made a conscious effort to walk around the emblem, Simeone and defender Jose María Gimenez chose to stride across it, leading to a barrage of criticism from the home supporters watching from the stands above the tunnel area.

What makes Simeone's actions particularly glaring is the intense confrontation he initiated with White only a week ago. Following the 1-1 draw in Madrid, Simeone was captured on film slapping the defender’s back multiple times in the tunnel after taking exception to the England international walking across the Atletico crest. At the time, White was visibly unhappy with the physical contact and engaged in a heated exchange of words before being pushed away by the Atleti manager. To see Simeone now commit the same act he had previously condemned has led to accusations of hypocrisy from fans across the social media, casting a shadow over his post-match conduct in London.

While Simeone was navigating the tunnel drama, Mikel Arteta was busy celebrating a historic night for the north London club. The Spaniard was quick to credit the home support for pushing his side over the line and into the final in Budapest. "It's great, everybody can feel a shift in energy, in belief, in everything," Arteta said. "Let's use it in the right way, understanding the margins and the difficulty of what we are trying to achieve. It's huge but we have the ability and the conviction to do that for sure."

Arsenal now face a season-defining run of fixtures as they chase a remarkable Premier League and Champions League double. The Gunners have four games remaining to etch their names into the history books, starting with a crucial London derby against West Ham on Sunday. They must also negotiate fixtures against Burnley and Crystal Palace before flying to Hungary for the European showpiece against the defending champions Paris Saint-Germain.