Courtois Defends Match Officials As Atletico Madrid Complains About Refereeing Decisions

Add as a preferred source on Google

Thibaut Courtois expressed frustration with Atletico Madrid's complaints about refereeing decisions following Real Madrid's penalty shootout victory. Real secured a spot in the quarter-finals by winning 4-2 on penalties at Metropolitano Stadium after a 2-2 aggregate draw. Julian Alvarez believed he had equalised the shootout at 2-2, but VAR disallowed his penalty for a double touch.

Real Madrid's triumph marked their fourth penalty shootout win in the European Cup and Champions League, setting a record for the most by any club. Despite Connor Gallagher scoring for Atletico within 27 seconds, neither team could secure a decisive goal during regular play. Courtois commented that failing to capitalise on an early lead was Atletico's own doing.

Diego Simeone, Atletico's coach, was visibly upset with the officials post-match, arguing there was no clear evidence to support the VAR decision. However, Courtois defended the referees, stating they made their call based on what they saw through technology. "Referees don't want to benefit a team," he said, emphasising their impartiality.

Ceballos, who did not participate in the match, seemed to mock Simeone on social media by sharing a video of Simeone’s press conference with a raised hand emoji and captioning it "cinema." This incident added another layer to the rivalry between these two clubs.

Courtois further remarked that if Atletico couldn't extend their lead after an early advantage, it was due to their own gameplay strategy. He described the penalty outcome as unfortunate for Atletico but noted it was difficult for referees to spot such incidents without technology.

Real Madrid has now eliminated Atletico from the Champions League five times, including finals. Only Bayern Munich has been knocked out more frequently by a single opponent in this competition. This ongoing rivalry continues to be intense and closely contested.