Real Madrid News
Stadium security intervenes in crowd following chaotic Madrid derby
Last night’s contest between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid was packed with intensity and controversy. The game had to be temporarily halted for ten minutes due to disturbances from the crowd, particularly in the South End of the Metropolitano Stadium.
Fans began throwing objects towards Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, forcing the match officials to take action.
Once Courtois noticed the objects being thrown, he quickly informed the referee, Busquets Ferrer, who issued a warning to Atletico Madrid’s pitch delegate.
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— شبكة RM4Arab (@RM4Arab) September 29, 2024
كواليس وتفاصيل ماحدث مع كورتوا في ميتروبوليتانو بالتفصيل ..
جميع ماتم رميه في الملعب من قبل جماهير أتلتيكو مدريد !
مشاهد لم تُعرض pic.twitter.com/penrdDtT0g
Despite an announcement over the stadium’s public address system instructing fans to stop, the crowd persisted, throwing lighters and plastic bags.
Courtois’ reactions, such as laughing while looking at the crowd, seemed to fuel the fans’ anger, leading to further disruptions.
Atletico’s intervene and a suspended fan
The referee followed the necessary protocol, and as a result, the match was suspended for ten minutes. During this break, players returned to the tunnel, with some, like Koke and Atletico manager Diego Simeone, stepping in to try and calm the situation.
Simeone, along with team captain Koke, approached the section of the stands where the trouble was coming from, urging the fans to remain composed.
Meanwhile, another incident in the stands saw security eject a Brazilian supporter who had attempted to confront an Atletico fan. This individual had been making racist remarks and mimicking monkey noises, further escalating tensions in the stadium.
In a bid to restore order, Atletico’s centre-back Jose Maria Gimenez, along with Koke and Simeone, took it upon themselves to address the unruly fans directly.
They demanded that the supporters stop throwing objects and behave responsibly. Simeone, standing just a few metres from the fans, urged them to keep calm, while Gimenez engaged in a more direct conversation, asking the crowd to respect the game.
Before heading back, Gimenez delivered a firm message to the crowd: “Not in our house.”
The derby resumed after the delay, but the heated atmosphere highlighted the challenges of maintaining order in such high-stakes matches.
Real Madrid prospect Alexis Ciria will have to wait for his Champions League opportunity despite making a strong impression on Jose Mourinho during pre-season.
The Castilla winger has been left out of Real Madrid’s European squad, but the decision is the consequence of UEFA registration rules rather than a sporting judgment.
According to journalist Arancha Rodriguez (h/t Defensa Central), Ciria was not eligible for Madrid’s List B because he has not been with the club long enough to satisfy UEFA’s requirements.
Registering him would therefore have required Mourinho to include him on the more restrictive List A.
UEFA rules work against Ciria
List B provides clubs with additional flexibility to register young academy players, but being young enough is not sufficient on its own.
Players must also meet requirements concerning how long they have been eligible to represent the club.
Ciria does not meet those conditions because of his limited time at Valdebebas. Real Madrid would therefore have needed to sacrifice a List A position to register him.
With those places required for members of Mourinho’s senior squad, Ciria was ultimately left out.
Real Madrid’s List B instead includes youngsters such as Joan Martinez, Mario Rivas, Thiago Pitarch, Jorge Cestero and Daniel Yanez.
Many of these youngsters made a name for themselves under Mourinho during pre-season and could be used to make up the numbers in the Champions League squad.
They could also get some minutes off the bench, especially against relatively easier opposition, as Jose Mourinho looks to manage first-team minutes.
Mourinho still plans first-team opportunity
Importantly for Ciria, missing the Champions League squad does not appear to reflect a change in Mourinho’s opinion of him.
The youngster impressed during pre-season and is expected to continue spending time around the senior team.
Mourinho intends to give Ciria his official first-team debut during the season. That opportunity will now have to arrive in La Liga or the Copa del Rey.
The Portuguese tactician placed a lot of emphasis on trusting Castilla players during pre-season in the absence of first-team stars.
Ciria was one of the many names who made a name for themselves at Real Madrid during pre-season. He deserves a chance in the first team, and it remains to be seen how Jose plans his development.
