Diego Simeone has expained that he was happy to shake "extraordinary coach" Carlo Ancelotti's hand despite previously claiming he would not greet opposition managers in such a manner after the furore of snubbing Jurgen Klopp last year.
The Argentine greeted his opposite number with a grasp of the hands after his Atletico Madrid side claimed derby rights over Ancelotti's Real Madrid on Sunday.
But it is not the first time Simeone has been caught at a focal point over his gestures, and he was happy to explain after the match why he did so.
What did Simeone say on the handshake?
"I have shaken hands with [Valencia manager Jose] Bordalas, [and Athletic Bilbao manager] Marcelino too," Simeone said in a press briefing. "It depends on the match.
"Sometimes we cross paths and, in that situation, we greet each other. I have admiration for Ancelotti, he is an extraordinary coach.
"He has won in five different leagues. With the personality like the one he has... he handles himself the same whether he wins or loses."
Why did Simeone snub Klopp and Liverpool?
The Argentine's comments come in the wake of an infamous incident earlier in the season when he did not shake the hand of opposite number Klopp following Liverpool's 3-2 Champions League win in October.
The German was left unhappy by the incident, as Simeone headed straight down the tunnel after an ill-tempered game.
The Atletico boss subsequently said that he does not shake hands with opposition managers after any game, something that close followers of Atleti would know from Simeone's penchant for running straight down the tunnel regardless of which team his outfit are playing.
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