UEFA will investigate an ugly incident involving an Atletico Madrid staff member 'spitting' at Liverpool fans. 

As tempers flared after Liverpool snatched a dramatic 3-2 late win courtesy of Virgil van Dijk's header on Wednesday night, footage has emerged of the disgusting act. 

In the clip, Diego Simeone confronts Liverpool fan Jonny Poulter, who sent him into a meltdown by goading him throughout the match. 

Stewards intervened before more members of Atletico's backroom team piled in to an already chaotic situation on the Anfield sideline. 

One man wearing a long club-issue coat with slick dark hair pretended to move away before racing back in and appearing to spit in the direction of the Liverpool fans. 

Seven stewards on hand eventually shepherded the irate Atletico bench away from the situation.

Daily Mail Sport contacted UEFA for comment and a spokesperson said they are waiting for the official reports into the game, which will be reviewed in the coming days. 

At that point there will be a decision made over whether official disciplinary proceedings are going to be opened and Liverpool will need to provide the footage of the incident given they're the home side. 

Poulter, 30, alleges that the spit was targeted at him. In a video he posted online on Thursday, he said: 'Something I want to get off my chest here, with regards to what happened last night with Mr Simeone and I think he's a bit of a coward,' he said in a video posted on X.

'When he went in and done his press conference after the game, the Spanish media asked him what was said, if it was racist, if it was regarding the Falklands War or all this rubbish.

'There was nothing racist said by me or anyone else, there was never a mention of the Falklands War by me or anyone else, but the fact that he was asked it and didn't answer the question and he just got up and walked out has left it open for speculation to the world.

'I've had messages on every platform I don't know how many of people asking what did you say? I didn't say anything apart from "waheeyyy f*** off we won" basically, as you do.

'But that's what he done to us. When they scored the equaliser his assistant manager was giving it in front of us and obviously he was being called a s***house and whatever else. And yeah, his assistant manager who came over and spat at me, yeah...'

Simeone said after the game: 'Let's talk about what refers to me. We are in a place where we don't have a right to reply or react, do we? It's never very good when we react as managers, is it? We are the people on the stage out there and need to behave well.

'But if there are comments against racism or insults, we can get angry and fight back as well. Managers, from the place that we are, get insulted all of the game. 

'When they scored the third goal, he turned around and insulted me, when I turned around, I am a person and I'm human.

'I'm not going to get into the exact nature of the insults. I don't want to get involved with that, I don't want that discussion. I have got to stay in my place. 

'I know what went on behind the manager's bench. I can't solve society's problems in one press conference. I've got to live with it.' 

When asked to expand on his mention of racism, Simeone walked out of the press conference.  

Poulter, who was sat behind the opposing dugout in the Anfield Road stand, was seen shouting 'f*** off' on a number of occasions towards the Atletico bench when they equalised at 2-2, before tensions boiled over following the winning goal.