Diego Simeone states that Atletico Madrid “doesn’t require these individuals in our audience,” as the ultras cause disturbances during the Madrid derby.

In a dramatic turn of events during the Madrid derby, Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has made it clear that the club does not want “these people in our stands” following a chaotic incident that led to a 15-minute stoppage in play.

The trouble began shortly after Real Madrid’s Eder Militao scored in the 64th minute, putting his side 1-0 up. As the Madrid keeper, Thibaut Courtois—who once donned the red and white of Atletico—turned to celebrate, a group of Atletico ultras responded by hurling missiles, including lighters, in his direction. The situation escalated quickly, with bottles and a plastic bag also making their way onto the pitch, prompting referee Mateo Busquets Ferrer to halt the game in the 69th minute.

Simeone condemned the actions of the fans as “unjustifiable,” but he also pointed a finger at Courtois, suggesting that the keeper’s gestures towards the crowd contributed to the unrest. “I told him to be calm, but I also said that what he did absolutely does not justify this: we do not need these people,” Simeone stated after the match.

The Atletico manager was seen speaking with Courtois on the pitch, while his captain Koke and defender Josema Gimenez attempted to quell the unrest. Gimenez, however, found himself doused with water as he tried to reason with a fan wearing a balaclava.

After a lengthy delay, the match resumed, and Atletico’s performance improved significantly. Angel Correa salvaged a point for the home side with a dramatic equaliser in the 95th minute, which was initially ruled out by VAR but later reinstated. The game concluded at 11:11 PM local time, leaving both teams with mixed feelings.

Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti backed the referee’s decision, calling it “correct,” while Atletico’s Koke expressed his hope that such incidents would not recur. “They felt provoked but that doesn’t justify it and it cannot happen,” he said. “We should be talking about the football, and I hope it doesn’t happen again. This cannot happen: four, five, six, 10 or 20 people have stained the image of the club.”

Simeone took a more measured approach, addressing the ultras directly. “The message to them was: think about the club, the team, your team. You’re not helping your team,” he explained. He acknowledged that while the provocation from Courtois did not excuse the fans’ actions, those in the spotlight must also be cautious about their conduct.

“We don’t need these people in our stands. We need supporters who think about the club and the team. The person who throws a lighter should not come any more,” he added, recalling a similar incident involving Courtois during his time at the Bernabeu.

In response to the incident, Atletico Madrid released a statement on X, denouncing the actions of the fans and confirming that their Security Department is working with the police to identify those responsible. “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,” the statement read.

As the dust settles on this tumultuous derby, the focus now shifts to ensuring that such disruptions are not repeated in the future, for the sake of the game and the integrity of the clubs involved.