Fans throw rat at Thibaut Courtois: Real Madrid defeated Atletico Madrid in the heavyweight clash in La Liga.
Real Madrid climbed to the second position in the league table with a 3-1 win over Atletico Madrid.
With this win, Real Madrid are now five points away from Barcelona, who are the top of the table. The Catalan giants will face Athletic Bilbao on Sunday night.
Casemiro opened the goalscoring for the Los Blancos before Antoine Griezmann equalized for the host side.
Real, however, held their nerve as goals from Sergio Ramos and Gareth Bale secured three points for the side in the league.
The game also saw the homecoming for Atletico Madrid’s former goalkeeping star, Thibaut Courtois. However, he had the experience to forget as he returned to his former club.
Fans throw rat at Courtois:
Thibaut Courtois played for Atletico Madrid for three seasons on loan from Chelsea. The Belgian goalkeeper joined Atletico in 2011.
He was one of the key figures in the side and played a major role in Atletico’s title-winning campaign in the 2013/14 season. He also won the Copa del Rey and the Europa League with the side and reached the final of the Champions League in the title-winning season.
However, the Atletico fans couldn’t forgive the fact that Courtois joined their Madrid rivals from Chelsea.
As he returned to Atletico in Real Madrid’s colours for the first time, the Atletico fans turned hostile. They threw toy rats at the player whenever the ball came near him.
The fans also left rats on his plaque outside the stadium.
Thibaut Courtois’ plaque outside the Wanda Metropolitano ahead of the Madrid derby: Atleti fans have written “rat” in graffiti, covered it with empty beer cans, toy rats… #MadridDerby #AtletiRealMadrid pic.twitter.com/C30td3H56F
— Ben Hayward (@bghayward) February 9, 2019
Rats thrown on the field today during Courtois’ warmup. pic.twitter.com/b5iu873DCQ
— totalBarça (@totalBarca) February 9, 2019
Atletico Madrid fans were throwing toy rats at Real keeper Thibaut Courtois today during the Madrid derby 🐀 pic.twitter.com/7xvKEJfhVI
— 32Red (@32Red) February 9, 2019
Outside Atlético’s stadium there is a plaque for Courtois that he received from Atlético Madrid when he played there. Today, Atlético Madrid fans put some toy rats, cans of beer, and trashbin stickers on it. pic.twitter.com/taxFjyADi4
— AFC Ajax 💫 (@TheEuropeanLad) February 9, 2019
The Atletico fans also brought banners criticising Courtois for moving to Real Madrid.
Atleti fans brandish banner calling Courtois a rat.https://t.co/x26qooIZpd pic.twitter.com/3KdzlTBnpT
— AS English (@English_AS) February 9, 2019
Courtois criticised Diego Simeone earlier in the season for his attack on Luka Modric after he won the Ballon d’Or.
“Simeone criticises Madrid so as to be popular with his fans,” Courtois said. “He always does it, attacks Madrid for being the best in the world.”
“Everyone’s opinions have to be respected, everyone can say their personal opinion.
“But I was there for three years and when you always fight against Real Madrid, who are the best team in the world, you’re going to say things to generate populism”
Atletico Madrid have slipped to the third position in the league table after their defeat to their city rivals.
