UEFA Confirm Touchline Ban for Diego Simeone Ahead of Europa League Second Leg Against Arsenal

Atletico Madrid will have to negotiate their Europa League semi final second leg without any help from manager Diego Simeone, who will be forbidden from any

Atletico Madrid will have to negotiate their Europa League semi final second leg without any help from manager Diego Simeone, who will be forbidden from any contact with his players during the game.

Simeone went berserk after Sime Vrsaljko was sent off after just ten minutes of Thursday's first leg against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, and then again after asking for a booking for an Arsenal player - and was sent to the stands by referee Clement Turpin.

Despite the losses of Vrsaljko and Simeone, Atletico salvaged a creditable 1-1 draw as Antoine Griezmann cancelled out Alexandre Lacazette's opener.

Every single outfield Arsenal player on the pitch created at least once chance vs. Atlético Madrid.

Lacazette (5)
Özil (5)
Welbeck (3)
Xhaka (3)
Wilshere (2)
Koscielny (1)
Ramsey (1)
Monreal (1)
Bellerín (1)
Mustafi (1)

24 in total. One goal to show for it. 🙃 pic.twitter.com/IuoX9h2Wfg

— Squawka (@Squawka) April 26, 2018

Atleti will be confident of progressing to their fifth European final in nine years when they host Arsenal at the Wanda Metropolitano this coming Thursday, but they will not be able to get any in-game assistance from Simeone.

UEFA had announced that two charges against the Argentine would not be heard until after the second leg, but they later confirmed to the Sun that Simeone would face an automatic one-game suspension for his antics.

Atletico's assistant manager, the no-less-volatile German Burgos, will be the man in the dugout for the return leg.

Worth noting that German Burgos is now the man on #Atleti's bench after that Simeone sending-off.

The bloke who once told Jose Mourinho: "I'll rip your head off."

We believe him. pic.twitter.com/HzmaNtwSDK

— FourFourTwo (@FourFourTwo) April 26, 2018

(You may also be interested in Arsenal Star Jack Wilshere Insists Atletico Madrid Equaliser Should've Been Disallowed)

If UEFA decides to act against Simeone when he faces the charges against him on Friday, he could also be in the stands for the Europa League final if Atletico progress. The winners of the tie will face either Marseille or Red Bull Salzburg in Lyon on 16 May.

Atleti will be confident of completing the job against Arsenal on Thursday. They have not conceded a home goal in 270 minutes of Europa League football this season, having joined the competition at the knockout stage following Champions League elimination.

Atletico won the inaugural Europa League in 2009-10, and won the trophy again in 2011-12. They have also reached two Champions League finals since then, but lost both to Real Madrid.