Two days later, the aftermath of the derby incidents moved to the press room at the Da Luz stadium in Lisbon. There, more than the match that Atlético has to settle this Wednesday with Benfica, the focus remained on the suspension of the match and on Diego Pablo Simeone’s statements that night, in which he condemned those who threw objects, but He also pointed out Thibaut Courtois for provoking his 0-1 celebration. Simeone appeared before the press in Lisbon aware that he would have to answer a barrage of questions about what happened in the derby. “I’m fine, very calm. I am a clear, frontal person who likes to say what I feel. From the other day I am not going to change absolutely anything I said. Before the conference I had individual notes and in all three I reinforced the rejection of violence, of aggressors, putting what I am telling as the first situation, having as a club a great opportunity to become strong and show outwards what has to be done . That’s what I said in the post-match and, later, I gave my opinion, that they distorted it, as always appears and is appropriate, and that it is no longer my problem,” Simeone said.
Simeone admitted that the hours after the game had been complex: “They were not simple days. The club is working, they already have someone involved, and they will surely find more and they must be removed. We don’t need those people, the team is gradually focusing on the game (this Wednesday in Lisbon).”
The flood of questions also reached Lille with Carlo Ancelotti. “I respect all opinions,” he said when questioned about Simeone’s words, “but what has happened has been seen by everyone,” he added. “Violent people cannot be in stadiums or in society. It is better that they stay somewhere else and leave us alone,” stressed the Madrid coach, who asked not to deflect the shot. “Talking about other things (in reference to the possible provocation in Courtois’s celebration) is to divert the shot. The shooting is the most violent of all the teams and they have to be outside the stadiums. Football does not need these types of characters. Talking about Courtois’s behavior when during the match he has been shouted I don’t know how many times ‘die’ is diverting the shot. It’s simple, I don’t have to add more,” concluded the Italian.
