Diego Simeone suggests Thibaut Courtois punishment for ‘provoking’ Atletico ultras

Diego Simeone called for Atletico Madrid fans who halted the Madrid derby against Real Madrid by throwing objects at rival goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to be punished, while also warning that players who “provoke” supporters have to be “careful”.

The Madrid derby at the Metropolitano was suspended for 15 minutes midway through the second half as home fans threw missiles at Courtois following Eder Militao’s opening goal for the visitors.

The objects, which included lighters and bottles, were thrown from the section of the stadium where the Atletico ultras were positioned, and it led to the referee temporarily halting the match as the players left the pitch.

During the suspension, Simeone and Atletico captain Koke pleaded to the ultras to stop so the match could resume. When it did, Atletico rescued a draw as Angel Correa scrambled in an equaliser in the 96th minute.

Simeone said Atletico “do not need” the fans who threw objects at Courtois but the manager also suggested that the Belgian international was responsible for celebrating towards the Atletico ultras after Militao’s goal and said those who “provoke” should also be sanctioned.

“My opinion is that people who have committed incidents should be sanctioned by the club. We don’t need these people,” Simeone told DAZN. “We need the people who accompany and support us. They harm the club, but be careful: that does not justify generating situations that we, the protagonists, generate.

“We all have to help. Obviously the fans throwing lighters, like what happened at the Bernabeu, when Courtois was our player, and was hit on the head with a lighter, isn’t right.

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“But we the protagonists don’t help when we provoke the fans and the fans get angry. [Throwing things] is wrong, it isn’t right, but we have to stay calm and understand the situation, know how we can celebrate a goal, not looking at the stands, with those gestures.

“People have no other way of doing it, in a bad way, which is not right, but we also have to try to be calm, to understand the situations, that you can celebrate a goal by celebrating it, but not by celebrating it by staring at the stands, charging against the stands, making gestures... because then people get angry.

“Of course it’s not justified, but neither is the initial thing justified because otherwise we’ll always be victims. The one who throws the cigarette lighter should be sanctioned and the one who provokes should also be sanctioned. This way there is no more laughter and things like that, as you are not sanctioned, you are allowed to do things.”

Atletico Madrid released an official statement in the early hours of Monday saying they have already identified one of the fans who hurled objects onto the pitch and are working with police to identify others, who will be disciplined.

“Atletico de Madrid wishes to express their rejection of the throwing of objects from a section of the south stand in the 68th minute of the match against Real Madrid. The club’s security department has been working together with the police to locate those involved, one of whom has already been identified," the club said in a statement.

“The club will apply the internal regime foreseen for very serious cases to the people involved in this incident. These attitudes have no place in football and tarnish the image of a stadium that has experienced a spectacular atmosphere with more than 70,000 spectators in the stands, the vast majority of whom have shown exemplary behaviour.”