Atletico Madrid ultra group ‘Frente Atletico’ have announced a passive protest for their Champions League tie with Lille on Wednesday evening, after a partial stadium ban saw the singing section banned against Leganes on Sunday. The ban came after objects were repeatedly thrown at Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
They announced on Twitter/X that they would not be adding their sound to the game ‘as a result of the constant attacks from all of the NationalMadridismo, the same attacks that are accepted and bought by part the Atletico world’.
“As such, we are not looking for any confrontation and we hope that the team can feel backed with the support from the rest of the stadium. Our attitude will be passive.”
The club has been divided on the matter, with sections of the stadium whistling the ultras for previous protests and incidents. The number of members of the far-right ultra group causing issues is put at around 100 by some estimates, although evidence of just how much of the singing section are with them will be seen against Lille. They are largely credited with being responsible for some of the racism and violence seen at Atletico.
Diego Simeone and CEO Enrique Cerezo have taken the line that they do not want innocent people to pay for the actions of others, with Atletico appealing the sanctions handed to them, and seeing the ban reduced from three games to one. La Liga President Javier Tebas has publicly declared that the club are seeking to dissolve the organisation, something Atletico have been criticised for not doing themselves. Cerezo and owner Miguel Angel Gil Marin have defended themselves by saying that legally they no longer exist as an entity.