MADRID (Reuters) – Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone said on Sunday fans that hurled objects onto the pitch causing their derby against Real Madrid to be suspended for over 20 minutes should be punished, as well as players who he suggested encourage such action.
While Real players celebrated Eder Militao’s opener in the 64th minute, Atletico ultras Fondo Sur, who are located in the south lower stands, threw objects towards visiting keeper Thibaut Courtois, who alerted the referee and he decided to temporarily halt the match.
After the delay, Angel Correa equalised deep in added time as the game ended with a 1-1 draw.
“My opinion is that people who have committed incidents should be sanctioned by the club. We don’t need these people. 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,” Simeone told DAZN.
“We all have to help. The people who have thrown those lighters, it’s not right. But maybe it doesn’t help when us, the protagonists, undermine people, charge against people, provoke people and then people get angry.
“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.”
(Reporting by Fernando Kallas; Editing by Michael Perry)
