Luis de la Fuente, Spain's national football coach, criticized the fans who threw objects at Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois during the Atlético Madrid-Real Madrid match on Sunday at the Cívitas Metropolitano. The incident caused a temporary suspension of the game, and De la Fuente stated that such behavior "has no place in society."

"Fortunately, we don't see much of this in our football, but it needs to be eradicated. These people have no place in society, in any setting—not in bullrings, basketball courts, or football stadiums," said De la Fuente on Monday during an event held in his honor at Plaza de Las Ventas in Madrid, attended by bullfighters like Emilio de Justo and Miguel Ángel Perera, among others.

The Madrid derby, which had been calm until Real Madrid's Brazilian player Éder Militao scored in the 64th minute, was suspended for 17 minutes by referee Mateo Busquets Ferrer due to continuous object-throwing—mostly lighters—aimed at the Belgian keeper Courtois from the north end of the stadium.

De la Fuente, who watched the match live, noted that "both teams showed they didn’t want to lose" despite their need to secure three points. The coach, set to announce his squad on Friday, October 4, for the upcoming Nations League matches against Denmark and Serbia (in which Spain will defend their title), mentioned that they will be keeping an eye on injuries during this week’s Champions League games.

"The entire coaching staff is focused on preparing the list. The group is solid, and we have a very strong base, but unfortunate situations can force changes. We have to wait until Thursday's last games to finalize the list because injuries can happen," said De la Fuente, who added that the team must "strive to improve in every competition and training session."

One significant blow to the national squad is Rodri’s injury, which will keep him out for the entire season after undergoing successful knee surgery in Madrid.

On the topic of the national team, De la Fuente stated, "The Spanish team and football are in a great place, and we have the best players. We should celebrate this, as Spanish football is a global reference, and it's wonderful to see the fans so engaged."

De la Fuente, who is nominated for the Ballon d'Or for best coach alongside fellow Spaniards Pep Guardiola and Xabi Alonso, among other candidates, praised his coaching staff, calling them "the best in the world." He also acknowledged during the tribute at Las Ventas that many players from the national team are fans of bullfighting.