Atlético Madrid could face a full or partial stadium closure after their fans forced the derby against Real Madrid on Sunday to be suspended for 15 minutes due to throwing objects at Thibaut Courtois. The Spanish football federation’s disciplinary committee is set to meet on Wednesday and is expected to impose at least one game behind closed doors or with a reduced crowd. The state anti-violence committee has warned that such acts must result in “severe punishment”.
Atlético will ban for life any supporters identified as having thrown objects at Courtois, the Real Madrid goalkeeper. One fan has already received such a ban, and investigations are ongoing with police and security forces to identify other culprits. The game was suspended after appeals over the loudspeakers for supporters to stop throwing objects at Courtois were ignored. Two announcements were made before, per La Liga’s protocol, the referee, Mateo Busquets Ferrer, took the teams off in the 68th minute. Among the missiles were cigarette lighters, bottles, and plastic bags.
“As a fan, I do not feel proud at all,” said the captain, Koke. Atlético announced on Monday that they had permanently expelled the person identified by the police in collaboration with their security services. Their security department continues to work with the police to identify the rest of those involved in the throwing of objects, all of whom will be permanently expelled as soon as they are located.
Diego Simeone said on Sunday night that “we do not need these people in our stands”, but he also accused Courtois of provoking supporters after Éder Militão’s opening goal. “We need to be careful with acting the victim – you see clearly that Courtois went towards the fans [gesturing] and laughing, and that makes this happen too,” he said. “[We have to] be careful with what we generate, and I include myself.”
Simeone, Koke, and the defender Josema Giménez approached the south stand and spoke to supporters in an attempt to get them to stop. Some of those supporters covered their faces with balaclavas and masks. One wore a balaclava with a skull on the front. Atlético also announced on Monday that they would take immediate action to ban clothing aimed at preventing the identification of supporters. A club statement published after midnight on Sunday had insisted that “these attitudes have no place in football”.
Supporters from other parts of the stadium whistled. Atlético’s fascist ultras group, the Frente Atlético, which has been implicated in the deaths of the Real Sociedad supporter Aitor Zabaleta and the Deportivo La Coruña fan Jimmy Taboada, stand in the south end. Atlético have faced criticism for failing to take meaningful action against the Frente Atlético.
