Simeone: If Costa insulted the official then it's a red card, but the rules aren't always the same Barcelona - Atletico Madrid Doesn't know what to think of Costa's sending off

Diego Simeone was left not knowing what or who to believe after Diego Costa's dismissal in Atletico Madrid's 2-0 defeat to Barcelona at the Camp Nou.

Costa was sent off with 28 minutes played and Los Rojiblancos did well to hold on until Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi both scored in the game's final minutes.

"In 11 games we've had seven red cards, so we must be doing something wrong," Simeone said when asked about Costa.

"I asked the referee and he told me something that Costa tells me he hasn't said. Other players have said things and aren't sent off, but that doesn't justify Diego.

"If the referee interprets there was an insult, then it's a justified red card. But it's not always the same, it's not always the same...

"They sent off [Fernando] Torres [in 2015/16], the sent off Torres... an icon! After that, anyone can be sent off."

The loss all but ends Atletico's title aspirations but Simeone is adamant that their season isn't over.

"The season has not ended in any way," he asserted.

"I value that we won the European Super Cup.

"We'll fight for second place and that's [seen as being] negative. I love it. Don't forget where we are."

Simeone sent praise to a number of his players for their efforts this season, singling some out for special mention.

"Rodrigo, Thomas Partey and Jose Gimenez have improved and are having extraordinary seasons.

"We're in a complicated moment and we knew that.

"These situations will make us stronger; we have to empower the players we have."