Marc Albrighton had brought down Antoine Griezmann as he approached the side of the box – but referee Jonas Eriksson pointed straight to the spot and Griezmann converted.
Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel was clearly angry after the game. He said: “We made a challenge outside the box. That decision to award a penalty ruined our game plan.
“It’s tough to take when it is so clear and so obvious. But we have to accept these decisions, apparently. They might have scored from what should have been a free-kick but it’s easier to score a penalty.”
Leicester manager Craig Shakespeare echoed Schmeichel’s statements. “We were hard done by,” said Shakespeare. “It’s the major decision of the game. It was a foul but it was outside the box. It’s a key moment in the game and it’s a disappointing decision and the referee has to get that right.
“He cannot guess on these things. We may have had a chance to defend what should have been a free-kick.”
A one-goal deficit is the same margin from which Leicester came back to defeat Sevilla in the last 16 and Shakespeare added: “I think 1-0, we would have taken that before the game. We came here to try and get the away goal but we have a good record at the King Power and the tie is still alive.
“Atletico are one of the top teams in Europe and we have given a great account of ourselves.
“The message is that mentally and physically we have been in a game and have given a good account of ourselves. I have seen enough throughout the squad. We know what we are about at the King Power and know what we need to do.”
They will have to do that without Robert Huth, whose booking last night means he misses the second leg next Tuesday. Shakespeare added: “We were always on the tightrope with people like Robert as he is competitive and it was a competitive game.”
