Diego Simeone slams Real Madrid superstar Thibaut Courtois

Atletico de Madrid v Real Madrid CF  - La Liga EA Sports
Atletico de Madrid v Real Madrid CF - La Liga EA Sports / Florencia Tan Jun/GettyImages
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When Real Madrid and Atletico meet, it is always an intense fixture. They are among the best teams in Spanish football and there was no separating the two in the most recent derby. It had looked like Eder Militao had scored the winner for Carlo Ancelotti's side only for Angel Correa to find an equaliser in the 95th minute. It ended in a 1-1 draw.

Another incident from the game grabbed the headlines though. The game had to be suspended midway through the second half after objects were thrown onto the pitch.

Thibaut Courtois, who was once an Atletico Madrid player, appeared to be at the centre of it all, for his celebrations after Militao's goal. And Diego Simeone did not seem happy with the whole situation.

Fortunately, the situation was brought under control and play was resumed, and the game was completed. A lot of eyes and ears were on what the Atletico Madrid manager would say after the events though. And as reported by ESPN, Simeone told DAZN:

"We all have to help.

"Obviously the fans throwing lighters -- like what happened at the Bernabeu, when Courtois was our player, and was hit on the head with a lighter -- isn't right. But we the protagonists don't help when we provoke the fans and the fans get angry.

"[Throwing things] is wrong, it isn't right, but we have to stay calm and understand the situation, know how we can celebrate a goal, not looking at the stands, with those gestures."

Diego Simeone slams Real Madrid superstar Thibaut Courtois

Of course, Courtois' Atletico Madrid past would not have helped. It is clear why the supporters might not have liked his celebrations.

That being said, that does not justify them throwing objects onto the pitch either. It feels like the entire situation could have, and should have, been avoided. And this is starting to become an issue in Spanish football.

As for Courtois, he had more to worry about coming out of the game. The Real Madrid goalkeeper, who spent the majority of last season out injured, picked up a muscle issue and the extent of the issue remains to be seen. If the Belgian does have to spend time on the sidelines once again, Los Blancos have a more than reliable backup option in Andriy Lunin.

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