Atletico Bans 9 Fans for Life from Attending Matches

Atletico Madrid, currently fourth in La Liga, has banned nine of its fans from attending matches for life due to incidents of violence and racist behavior on Friday.

The match between Atletico and their visitors Real Madrid in the capital derby, played on September 29 at the Metropolitano Stadium, was interrupted after some fans threw objects, including lighters, onto the field.

Atletico was fined by UEFA after some of its fans were found guilty of “racist and discriminatory behavior” during their 0-4 loss to Benfica on October 2 in the Champions League.

Atletico stated in a press release: “Our security department worked to identify those involved in these incidents by reviewing all available audio and visual materials in collaboration with the police.”

They added, “This process resulted in the permanent ban of nine fans due to behaviors considered extremely serious according to the club’s internal protocol.”

Atletico reiterated its strong condemnation of any form of violence, emphasizing its commitment to combating behaviors that have no place in football and tarnish the image of Atletico Madrid.

The capital club had already faced a punishment of closing part of their stands for three matches following the Real Madrid match, although this was reduced to one match after an appeal.

Police announced last month the arrest of four individuals suspected of inciting a hate campaign online targeting Brazilian Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior ahead of the match.

Authorities stated that the campaign, which spread across social media, encouraged Atletico fans to attend the match wearing masks to evade identification, while chanting “offensive and discriminatory insults of a racist nature.”

Atletico also announced that they have added to their internal regulations a “ban on using anything that covers the face to conceal identity inside the stadium.”