Penalty Imposed by the Spanish Football Federation on Atletico Madrid: Partial Stand Closure for Upcoming Matches

According to a report by Marca, Spain, on October 2nd, after reviewing the report submitted by referee Busquets Ferre on the Madrid Derby and considering the appeal materials provided by Atletico Madrid, the Spanish Football Association’s Competition Committee decided to impose a three-match closure penalty on the South Stand (sections 127 to 133) of the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium, affecting approximately 5,000 seats, along with a fine of €45,000.

The incident involving Atletico fans was considered serious but was limited to a specific area of the stadium, hence the decision for a partial rather than a full closure. The matches affected by this penalty are those against Leganes, Las Palmas, and Alaves.

Following the ruling by the Competition Committee, Atletico Madrid has the right to appeal to the Sports Arbitration Committee. If they are not satisfied with the outcome, they can further seek a review from the Court of Arbitration for Sport in an attempt to mitigate the punishment or obtain other forms of sports relief.

The match official’s report noted that at the 64th minute of the game, spectators in the lower section of the South Stand (near Courtois’ position) threw several objects onto the pitch, including three lighters and a bottle of water, though none hit the referee himself. The referee first notified Atletico Madrid’s representatives and followed the established procedures. A second notification was made, leading to a brief interruption of the match and a warning that any further throwing of objects could result in the match being abandoned. The referee handled the incident according to the existing protocols.

It is worth noting that last season, the same stand was given a two-match closure penalty by the Competition Committee due to racist abuse directed at player Nico Williams. Given the cooperative attitude shown by Atletico Madrid and their successful identification and handling of the fan who abused Williams, the Appeals Committee eventually overturned this penalty.