Sanction Reduced for Atlético de Madrid
The Appeals Committee has reduced Atlético de Madrid's partial stadium closure from three matches to one following the events in the derby.
The Appeals Committee of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has reduced the partial closure of Atlético Madrid's stadium from three matches to one due to incidents during the derby in the eighth round of La Liga and has lowered the club's fine to $3,200.
The Appeals Committee partially accepted the rojiblanco team's appeal against the sanction imposed on them on October 2 by the RFEF's Disciplinary Committee, which included a partial closure of the lower south stand of the stadium for three matches and a fine of $48,500 for throwing objects at the area where Madrid's goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, was located, which forced a temporary suspension of the match.
Atlético Madrid confirmed on Thursday that they will serve the partial closure sanction during their upcoming league match against Leganés on Sunday, October 20. The club announced on their website that "they are aware that this decision affects a large majority of fans who behaved correctly, and for this reason, they have decided to refund the corresponding amount for this match in their subscription for the next season, 2025-26."
Thus, Atlético will comply with the RFEF's sanction, and the partial closure will affect sections 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, and 133 of the lower south stand.
The Appeals Committee partially accepted the rojiblanco team's appeal against the sanction imposed on them on October 2 by the RFEF's Disciplinary Committee, which involved a partial closure of that stand and the aforementioned sections for three matches and a fine of $48,500 for throwing objects at the area where Real Madrid's goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, was located, which forced a temporary suspension of the match.
However, they maintained part of the sanction, considering that Atlético "is responsible for the incidents recorded in the match report and the report of the Informational Officer," since "sufficient lack of diligence in fulfilling their obligations and adopting prior and simultaneous measures to the incidents has been sufficiently accredited."
Despite valuing the additional measures adopted by the club, the Appeals Committee indicated in their ruling that the fact that the objects were thrown on three different occasions "reveals that the reactive measures implemented were not sufficient to contain and prevent the persistence of disorder and, more importantly, to avoid the match having to be suspended."
The Atlético-Real Madrid derby (1-1), played on September 29, was suspended in the 69th minute for 17 minutes after three lighters and a bottle of water were thrown onto the pitch in the area where Real Madrid's goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, was located, following his celebration of his team's goal that made it 0-1.
The match report from referee Mateo Busquets Ferrer indicated that in the 64th minute, three lighters and a bottle of water were thrown into that area without hitting the goalkeeper, prompting the activation of the protocol for this situation to issue a message over the loudspeaker to cease the throwing of objects.
After the same incidents were repeated, another message was issued in the 65th minute, and two minutes later, "due to the continued repetition," he decided to temporarily suspend the match and ordered the teams to return to the locker rooms.
The incidents were also addressed by the Anti-Violence Commission, which this week proposed another sanction against Atlético Madrid for these same events, in addition to that of the RFEF, including a complete closure of the stadium for two weeks and a fine of $69,500, which must be processed by the Secretary of State for Security.