Courtois Fires Back at Simeone Over Julián Álvarez’s Controversial Penalty
Thibaut Courtois did not hold back in his response to Diego Simeone’s complaints following Atletico Madrid’s dramatic Champions League exit at the hands of Real Madrid. The Belgian goalkeeper strongly criticized Simeone’s reaction, dismissing it as “constant victimhood and crying over decisions.”
Real Madrid Triumphs in Penalty Shootout
After a hard-fought battle at the Metropolitano, Real Madrid secured a spot in the quarter-finals following a tense penalty shootout. The match ended 1-0 after 120 minutes, and Los Blancos prevailed 4-2 in the shootout. Antonio Rüdiger’s final spot-kick sealed the win, taking advantage of a costly miss from Marcos Llorente.
Atletico’s frustration peaked when Julián Álvarez’s penalty was ruled out due to a double touch. The Argentine slipped while striking the ball, unintentionally making contact twice—a violation spotted by VAR. Despite Lucas Vázquez missing his attempt for Madrid, Llorente hit the crossbar, leaving Rüdiger with the chance to finish the job, which he did in style.
Courtois’ Harsh Words for Simeone
After the game, Simeone expressed his frustration over the disallowed penalty, implying that officiating decisions once again favored Real Madrid. However, Courtois hit back forcefully:
“I think UEFA saw it clearly. I’m tired of this constant victimhood, always crying about things like this. Referees don’t want to favor any team, neither in Spain nor in Europe. In the end, the officials reviewed it properly in the VAR room, where they have many cameras and angles. They saw it clearly, and that’s why they made the decision.”
The tension between the two Madrid clubs continues to grow, with Atletico Madrid once again failing to eliminate their city rivals in the Champions League. Meanwhile, Real Madrid now prepares for a mouth-watering quarter-final clash against Arsenal—a rematch of their 2006 encounter, offering Los Blancos a shot at revenge.
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