Players Who Provoke Fans Should Be Punished – Says Diego Simeone

Atletico Madrid manager, Diego Simeone, said on Sunday that fans who 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.

As Real players celebrated Eder Militao’s goal in the 64th minute, Atletico ultras from the Fondo Sur section in the lower south stands threw objects at visiting goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, prompting him to notify the referee.

After the delay, Angel Correa equalized 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 we, 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 issued an official statement early Monday morning, announcing that they have already identified one fan who threw objects onto the pitch and are collaborating with police to identify additional individuals, who will face disciplinary action.

“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 behavior.”