Simone: Courtois Should Not Celebrate Goals in Front of Atletico Fans; Fans’ Anger Is Justified

On the morning of September 30, Atletico Madrid drew 1-1 with Real Madrid in the Madrid Derby. After the game, Atletico coach Diego Simeone spoke to the media. Notably, this match was interrupted for about 15 minutes due to fans throwing objects onto the pitch.

Regarding the incident, Simeone said, “We all need to take responsibility. When fans throw lighters onto the pitch as they did today, or recall when Courtois was hit by a lighter at the Bernabeu while he was still on our team, these behaviors are absolutely unacceptable. However, as the main characters on stage, we may also have areas where we can improve. When we belittle, blame, or provoke fans through our words or actions, it naturally causes their dissatisfaction. Other than resorting to improper means, fans often find no other way to express their emotions, though doing so is wrong.”

Simeone also criticized Courtois, “We should remain calm and try to understand the underlying reasons. Celebrating a goal is reasonable, but one should not celebrate towards the stands, avoid making provocative gestures or actions, as this only escalates tensions. Of course, this is not an excuse for the fans’ behavior, but the initial misconduct cannot be justified either, otherwise, we will always be in the position of victims.”

In regard to the team’s performance in the second half, Courtois stated, “We hope that Marcos and Gallagher maintain sufficient energy in midfield, and also hope that De Paul can participate more in attacks, allowing Alvarez to play on the other side. However, we were unable to implement this strategy well during the match. Our first-half performance was relatively flat, but the second half saw significant improvement. We strengthened our ball possession and created more opportunities. Koke’s entry brought us a turning point. With the arrival of the goal, the game was paused, which actually benefited us. We used this time to communicate, clarify some situations, and made important tactical adjustments in the last 20 minutes.”

Regarding whether the draw was fair and Correa’s key role, Simeone said, “The draw is a fair result. Correa is one of the top ten players in terms of appearances. He is passionate about the game and eager to play. Sometimes, as a coach, I must make choices, having him start from the bench. His entry into the game injected new vitality into the team, proving his value to the squad. However, he is clearly not satisfied with this and strives for more.”

Concerning Griezmann’s importance, Simeone pointed out, “Griezmann always makes a difference. In the past, he played more on the flanks, but now we need him closer to the penalty area to help create more scoring opportunities for the team.”