Real Madrid drew 1-1 with city rivals Atletico Madrid in a heated derby that had everything. Real Madrid went ahead with a goal from Eder Militao before Angel Correa equalised in the final minutes to snatch two points away from Los Blancos. Here are three observations.
No excuse for what happened led to the game's suspension "The more we provoke people, the more people get heated. It doesn't justify it, but they felt provoked. We as players need to be smarter than this," said Koke after the game.
Another one - this time, the team's coach Diego Simeone, said: "We all have to help. If we provoke people, they get mad. One can celebrate a goal but not by looking at the fans. People don't react like that for no reason. If we provoke the fans, a reaction might happen."
We've all heard it a billion times now, but throwing lighters and human faeces at a player cannot be justified with provocation. There are double standards here: Simeone and Koke ask for Thibaut Courtois to not 'provoke' fans, but do not ask the fans not to abuse and insult Courtois all game leading up to this incident and beyond.
Courtois was being slighted all game. He saw the occasion of Real Madrid scoring a goal as a way of giving some of it back to where it came from. Does this really qualify as provocation? Let's leave that aside - even if it does, is the answer to throw these things at the player?
Sure, Simeone and Koke said these people are not welcome to the stadium, but the other part of what they said - the part mentioned above - is concerning and, sort of contradicting. This is not the first time we've heard statements like this.
There has always been an excuse or a blame-deflecting argument made by Atletico Madrid and the people who represent the club whenever something disgusting takes place on or off the football pitch. This incident with Courtois. With Vinicius' racial abuse, the doll-hanging incident too. Everyone says what happened was not right, people should be punished but there is a hint of blame towards Real Madrid on the grounds of provocation.
How much can you justify as provocation? Where is the line? When will the line be drawn for things like this? Even if there is some provocation involved - and this is not to say that there is or isn't - does it make all of this OK? Is racism, hooliganism, and throwing literal faeces at rival players really OK as long as those players have had a reaction to what the team's fans or players have said to them in the first place? Does anything make it OK?
Verbal abuse is considered 'normal'. Booing and jeering are normal in a heated rivalry like this, but there have been moments where they've gone too far. It's not the entire fanbase, but it does happen quite often.
With so much consistency, we see a lot of disgusting things from a group of violent people - which, somehow, still haven't been banned. Frente Atletico are still allowed to games, and are still protected with face masks, and they use them to portray violent and disgusting behaviour. Atletico looking into the situation is a good step, but there is a lot left to be done.
What makes it worse and more disappointing is that Atletico's players and coaches - who are looked up to by so many people in Madrid and around the world - slyly call it provocation, rather than leaving the footballing rivalry behind and looking at the human side of things. You can't reason this. Nothing can. Simeone and Koke both said these actions were not OK, but they also blamed Courtois for 'provocation'. You may think Courtois was wrong, but provocation should never lead to such actions, no matter which way you look at it. These quotes paint a contradicting image.
Fede Valverde's importance grows with each passing game Going back to the football, Fede Valverde was, once again, and by far, the best Real Madrid player. In fact, he was the best player on the pitch, full stop.
So much of what Atletico Madrid tried to do to hurt Real Madrid during transitions and counters was limited because of Valverde's defensive acumen and aggressiveness. He's not always running at the opponent. He picks his moments, and it seems like he is getting better at it with each passing game.
Valverde covers so many aspects of this Real Madrid team, that it is difficult to imagine how the club would cope in his absence. He broke into the team in 2019, and since then, his role has always gotten bigger and he's always gotten better. He led the team in tackles and interceptions (three each) and has easily become the most important player in Real Madrid's midfield after Toni Kroos' departure.
Valverde is one player I've seen who has mastered the concept of continual progression. He is somehow always improving, and the improvement really shows in every aspect of his footballing abilities. That is not something many players can do, and certainly not every single season. Valverde is humble - when he needs to be - and tries to help the team in every single game. And he rarely fails.
Carlo Ancelotti's substitutions were... interesting It's probably been said by many people so this will be a short section - but something wasn't quite right with the substitutions that Ancelotti made against Atletico.
They didn't contribute directly to the goal conceded at the death, but they compromised Real Madrid's build-up, structure and momentum. Having more attackers does not mean the team would be better at attacking, and the same can be said about defending.
Real Madrid had four full-backs and two centre-backs in their lineup towards the end of the game, which is just an odd sight. Then, in the presser, Ancelotti stood by his decision and it didn't make much sense. He is usually quick to accept criticism, but apparently there is no criticism to accept here, which was a bit odd.
I'm usually content with Ancelotti's quotes after games. Not today. The subs were what killed our shape and momentum, it's not one point won, it's two lost.
Real Madrid lost here last season, true, but comparative improvement is not the objective. Winning the game is,...
- Hridyam (@hridarora) September 29, 2024