Simeone sent off after ball is thrown onto pitch during play

Diego Simeone was sent to watch the second half of Atlético's meeting with Málaga from the stands after an incident which occurred in time which referee, Antonio Miguel Mateu Lahoz had added on to the first 45 minutes.

Atlético were attacking the Málaga goal with the two minutes of stoppage time almost up. But the visitors caught their hosts with a rapid counter attack and Atlético found themselves two against two. Just 13 seconds of additional time remained and Mateu Lahoz allowed play to continue, and Javi Gracia's team to finish off the move. The ref finally ushered both teams back to the changing rooms after just over three minutes of stoppage time.

Nothing came of that late breakaway move but a ball had been thrown onto the pitch during the Málaga counter with the clock on 45' +1:45. A heated exhange bewtween both coaches and the match official broke out as the players made their way off the field. Mateu Lahoz wanted to indentify who had thrown the ball but Simeone wouldn't tell him. Television images shown that it was a ball boy and aparently, after being given orders by the Atlético coach. 

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When the second half got underway, Simeone was sat in the stands and his assistant Mono Burgos in the technical area. Under the regulations, if an extra ball or any other object is introduced to the field of play from the bench and the perpetrator is not identified, then the coach has to assume responsibility and will be issued a red card. It is a serious violation and usually entails a minimum three-match ban and fine of up to 3,000 euros.

After the game the coach explained: "The ref applied the rules as he should. A lad who was next to us threw the ball, you can see it in the images".