Atlético has already spoken out and has banned the covering of the face during matches.

Full article

Possible penalties for throwing objects at Courtois during the Madrid derby

The derby between Atlético de Madrid and Real Madrid, which is normally a very intense affair, has been marked this time by an unfortunate incident in which some Atlético fans went too far. In the middle of the match, several objects were thrown towards the goal defended by Thibaut Courtois, goalkeeper of the Merengue team, tarnishing what should have been a celebration of Madrid football.

The incident occurred in the 64th minute, when lighters and a bottle of water started flying from the south stand of the red and white stadium in the direction of the Belgian goalkeeper. Although the situation did not escalate, the referee decided to temporarily suspend the match to prevent the matter from escalating. After several minutes of uncertainty, the match was able to resume, but the incident had already left its mark on the derby.

Atletico Madrid take action

Hours after the final whistle, Atletico Madrid issued an official statement strongly condemning the throwing of objects. The club said they are working closely with the police to identify those responsible for this behaviour, and have apparently already managed to identify one of those involved. Furthermore, the red and white team made it clear that they will apply their own internal regime to punish the perpetrators of these acts.

Atlético de Madrid has been categorical in its message, stressing that this kind of behaviour has no place in its stadium or in the world of sport. ‘We are working together with the authorities to locate all those responsible and apply the corresponding measures,’ the club said in its statement.

What the referee's report says

The referee did not let the incident go unnoticed and reflected it in detail in the match report. The report specifies that, after several minutes of continuous throwing of objects from the same area, it was decided to temporarily stop the match and remove the players from the pitch. Although the situation eventually calmed down and the match was resumed without further problems, the damage had already been done.

The report specifically mentions ‘three lighters and a bottle of water’ as the objects thrown, which reinforces the idea that, although there was no physical harm to Courtois, there was a clear breach of the rules of conduct in a sporting venue.

Possible sanctions for the fans responsible

Once the perpetrators of the object throwing are fully identified, they will face a range of legal and financial consequences. According to the law against violence in sport, those responsible could be fined between 3,000 and 60,000 euros, depending on the seriousness of their behaviour.

In addition to financial penalties, these fans could also face a ban from any sporting venue for a period of between six months and two years. This is a measure that has been applied in similar cases and seeks to prevent people with violent or disrespectful behaviour from having a place in stadiums.

Law 9/2007 of 11 July 2007, which regulates this type of incident in sport, establishes that throwing objects in a sports venue is a serious or very serious offence, depending on the circumstances. If the behaviour of these fans is classified as a serious offence, the sanctions will be lighter, but in case it is considered very serious, the fines could rise up to 650,000 euros, and the ban on access to stadiums could be extended up to five years.

What next for Atlético de Madrid?

Atlético de Madrid now has to deal with the consequences of this incident. Although the club has shown its rejection and willingness to punish those responsible, the image of the institution has been affected. La Liga and the authorities will closely follow the development of this case, and it is not ruled out that the red and white club could also be financially punished for not having guaranteed security at the match.

In the meantime, the mostly peaceful Atlético fans regret that a small group of fans have marred the spectacle with their behaviour. However, it is clear that Atlético de Madrid does not intend to let this incident go unpunished, both for the club's image and for the well-being of Spanish football.

The ball is now in the court of sporting justice, and the sanctions will not be long in coming. But beyond fines and bans, this type of act should lead to a profound reflection: football is a party that has no place for violence, and any fan who does not respect that must face the consequences.