Atletico Madrid were punished with a partial stadium closure for three matches and a fine of €45,000 ($50,000; £37,000) after crowd disturbances interrupted Sunday’s match against Real Madrid for almost 20 minutes.
Objects were thrown from the stands of the Metropolitano stadium, leading the referee to suspend play. The match resumed 17 minutes later, after Atletico players spoke with hooded fans.
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) ordered the closure of the lower southern part of Atletico’s ground, where these supporters were, for three matches, as well as a fine. Atletico can appeal the decision.
What happened?
Atletico’s home game against Real Madrid descended into chaos after the visiting team took the lead through Eder Militao in the 64th minute. Shortly after, Atletico fans began throwing objects onto the pitch towards Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
Courtois, who played for Atletico from 2011 to 2014 on loan from Chelsea, brought this to the attention of referee Mateo Busquets Ferrer. Video footage broadcast by Spanish channel Movistar on Monday shows the Belgian saying: “I can’t play like that.” An announcement was made over the stadium loudspeakers, in accordance with La Liga protocol in such circumstances, that the match would be suspended if the behavior did not stop.
Courtois throws a lighter from the Metropolitano pitch on Sunday evening (Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)
After Courtois alerted Busquets Ferrer that other objects were being thrown, the referee brought the two teams together near the center circle. Atletico captain Koke spoke with Courtois, then he and Atletico defender José Maria Gimenez went behind the goal to speak with the fans. Manager Diego Simeone also approached them, giving them a “calm down” gesture.
Both teams then went down the tunnel when the stadium commentator confirmed a 10-minute suspension after objects continued to be thrown at Courtois. There was a warning that “if this behavior does not stop, the game will not be over.”
After about 10 minutes with both teams in the locker room, another announcement told fans that the game would resume in five minutes. There were then loud whistles as the Madrid players returned and began the warm-up. Courtois also returned to take his place.
Television footage from the time showed Simeone giving a pep talk to his players in the tunnel before they returned to resume play. He then waved again to the Atletico ultras behind Courtois’ goal , putting his fingers on his head, asking them to think.
The match ultimately ended in a 1-1 draw as Angel Correa equalized for Atletico in the 95th minute. After the final whistle, the home players went to celebrate with the fans behind Courtois’ goal – as they do after almost all home matches – a decision which did not go down well with many other supporters on the field, who reacted by whistling.
After the match, Atletico manager Simeone said Courtois had some responsibility for what happened because of the way he celebrated Madrid’s opening goal. Television footage showed him saying “Vamos” (come on) as he moved his hands towards the stands in what appeared to be a calling gesture. Moments before the goal, chants of “Courtois dies” were heard.
Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti was asked for his opinion on this interpretation of events during his pre-match press conference ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League trip to Lille.
He said: “To respond to Courtois’ behavior when they were shouting ‘to die’ is to deflect the shot. Football doesn’t need violent people. It’s not just Atletico, that doesn’t matter. It’s better for the violent to leave us alone.”
The RFEF described the events as “absolutely unacceptable” and did not accept Atletico’s “allegations regarding previous acts, which would in no way be likely to justify (the events)”.
“Even though they were small objects, there is no doubt that they were capable of causing some form of injury, given the distance some of the objects were thrown, which could have hit the goalkeeper of the opposing team targeted in the head or face shot,” the decision reads.
“Although this is an action that is not at all representative of the club’s supporters, on the part of Atletico Madrid, sufficient measures have not been taken to avoid such serious incidents in their mass action and in their results.”
Who is behind this decision and what motivated it?
The Competition Committee (CC) of the Spanish Football Federation is the disciplinary body that rules in such cases.
The CC is a technically independent body that decides on sanctions and disciplinary measures at different levels of the Spanish game. It is made up of three members; one appointed by the Spanish Federation, one by La Liga and one by the Spanish Sports Council, a government body headed by the country’s sports minister. Its president is Maria Josefa Garcia Cirac, a lawyer and former regional politician from the center-right Popular Party.
The committee took into account the referee’s report written by Busquets Ferrer, as well as the conclusions on what happened in La Liga, which included observations from both clubs.
Busquets Ferrer chatting with Courtois during Sunday’s match (Javier Soriano/AFP via Getty Images)
Busquets Ferrer’s report states that objects, including three lighters and a bottle of water, were thrown towards Courtois in the 64th, 65th and 67th minutes. He said the captains and delegates of both teams, the match directors, the security coordinator and a delegate from the Spanish Federation met in the match officials’ dressing room and were warned that the match would be suspended if the throwing of objects continued. Play finally resumed 17 minutes after the stoppage, according to the referee’s report.
The match report makes no mention of the sandwich thrown towards the Real Madrid goal after the players returned from the stoppage. Television images broadcast by the Movistar channel on Monday showed Dani Carvajal picking him up and throwing him off the field.
Has La Liga taken other measures?
On Monday, La Liga said it had already filed a complaint with the national police over social media messages, apparently posted by Atletico supporters, calling on supporters to attend Sunday’s match wearing masks so they could abuse of Vinicius Jr with complete impunity. No racist abuse against Vinicus Jr was reported by authorities immediately after the match.
La Liga also issued a statement saying it had sent evidence of various cases of insulting or derogatory remarks used by supporters to the anti-violence commission of the Superior Sports Council (CSD) and the competition committee of the Spanish Federation. during Sunday’s match. towards Courtois.
He noted that lighters and bottles had been thrown onto the field by fans and provided information on the exact location of the individuals responsible, also noting that several fans were wearing balaclavas or concealing their identities by other means.
Atletico worked with La Liga to include their version of events in the competition body’s report, as did Real Madrid, which is notable because Real Madrid and La Liga do not have a good relationship, in largely due to the club’s committed support of Europe. Super League project. La Liga president Javier Tebas was even the target of recent legal action, brought by Madrid, to have him removed from office over a legal technicality dating back to 2021.
What did Atlético say?
After the match, Atletico released a statement. “Atletico Madrid wishes to express its rejection of the throwing of objects which took place from part of the south stand in the 68th minute of the match against Real Madrid,” we can read.
“The club’s security department has been working with police to locate those involved, one of whom has already been identified. The club will apply the internal regime provided for very serious cases to those involved in this incident.
“These attitudes have no place in football and tarnish the image of a stadium which had a spectacular atmosphere with more than 70,000 spectators in the stands, the vast majority of whom demonstrated exemplary behavior.”
The scene before kick-off at the Estadio Metropolitano (Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images)
On Monday, Atletico said it had “permanently expelled as a member the person identified yesterday by the police, in collaboration with our security service.”
The club added that its security team “continues to work with police to identify the remainder of those involved, who will be permanently removed as soon as they are located.”
Since Sunday’s match, Atletico has also changed its statutes so that fans who wear masks to avoid being identified can be immediately removed from the stadium.
The RFEF said these were “not preventative measures” but rather “reactive measures taken following events that have already occurred which have already produced serious sporting consequences and media repercussions which are at this stage irreparable “.
“This commission positively values the actions undertaken by the club following the events, even if it considers them insufficient until the full identification of the spectators involved is achieved,” adds the decision.
What is Real Madrid’s point of view?
A Madrid source — who, like all the people cited here, spoke with Athletics anonymously to protect their position – said club president Florentino Pérez was angered by what happened at the Metropolitano, and was even more angered by the sight of Atletico players saluting the ultras behind Courtois’ goal after the final whistle.
Sources from the coaching staff have reflected on how Madrid’s previous trips to the Metropolitano have also involved controversies and ugly scenes.
In September 2022, there were racist chants against Vinicius Jr before, during and after kick-off. Three individuals were ultimately identified, with the help of Ateltico, and have been banned pending further investigation. La Liga highlighted and denounced 24 racist offenses linked to the match, but the Madrid prosecutor’s office decided not to take any action. Among their justifications for such a decision was the observation that the racist chants directed at Vinicius Jr had “only lasted a few seconds”.
What could happen next?
After holding a meeting on Monday morning, he issued a statement in which he expressed his “absolute rejection of violent behavior which harms the image of Spanish football”. He said he “condemns the serious incidents that took place” and “judges positively the speed with which the match referee acted.”
The press release added: “The available images are being analyzed in order to determine who is responsible for such behavior and to propose corresponding sanctions. Such acts carry heavy sanctions, including a ban on access to sports venues and financial sanctions.
The CSD’s anti-violence commission does not have the power to impose sanctions itself, but in previous cases it has recommended that action be taken by separate CSD bodies. Its next meeting is scheduled for mid-October.
(Top photo: Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)