Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has called for action against both fans and players after a chaotic moment during Sunday’s Madrid derby caused a 15-minute suspension.
The match was paused when Atletico ultras in the south stand hurled objects at Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois following Eder Militao’s goal in the 64th minute. Courtois, a former Atletico player, turned to celebrate the goal in front of the Atletico fans, which appeared to provoke the reaction.
Simeone condemned the behavior of the fans but also hinted that Courtois might have played a part in triggering the incident with his celebration.
“We don’t need these people in our stands,” Simeone said. “But players also need to be cautious and not provoke the crowd.”
The game resumed after a 15-minute delay. Despite the interruption, Atletico’s Angel Correa managed to score a stoppage-time equalizer, rescuing a 1-1 draw for his team.
Atletico Madrid released a statement confirming that they had identified one fan involved in throwing objects and are working with police to identify others. The club expressed disappointment in the incident, calling it a stain on the otherwise strong atmosphere of the match.
“These attitudes have no place in football,” Atletico said in their statement. The club added that those involved will face severe punishment as per their internal disciplinary procedures.
Simeone further emphasized that while fan actions were inexcusable, players and staff also need to be careful not to provoke such reactions from the crowd.
“We must ensure this doesn’t happen again,” he said. Both Atletico captain Koke and Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti condemned the incident, urging fans to focus on the game itself instead.
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