Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid played out an intriguing if slightly cautious first leg of their Champions League Round of 16 derby on Wednesday night at the Santiago Bernabeu. As tends to be the case on European nights, the Bernabeu stepped things up in terms of noise and atmosphere.
That was aided by the nearly 4,000 Atletico Madrid fans at the Bernabeu, who made plenty of noise and helped the atmosphere. However there was an uncomfortably large contingent who sought to spoil the occasion before the match.
Atlético Madrid fans on their way to the Bernabeu ❤️🤍❤️🤍❤️🤍@estoesatleti
pic.twitter.com/LSY7PwZM62
— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) March 4, 2025
In recent days, former Real Madrid player and Champions League winner Javier Dorado passed away at the age of just 48, and before the game kicked off, a minute of ‘silence’ was held for the left-back. Although it was not silence in itself, or a minute for that matter, the away section could clearly be heard over the dedicated music for the departed Dorado.
Estos son los que se ofenden por tocar un ramo de flores que hay en un corner del Metropolitano.
Así de respetuosos estaban durante el minuto de silencio por Javier Dorado pic.twitter.com/2Wq10tX8pf
— Afición Real Madrid (@aficion_Rmadrid) March 4, 2025
According to Diario AS, a large number of the away support present belonged to the far-right ultra group Frente Atletico, and chants of ‘Madridistas, sons of b******’ could be heard over the music. A particularly chastening video shows a mortified older fan next to a person clad in a balaclava swearing at the adjacent Real Madrid fans.
During a minute of ‘silence’ last night for recently departed former #RealMadrid player Javier Dorado, #AtleticoMadrid fans deliberately started chanting. pic.twitter.com/wxRRMr7cys
— Football España (@footballespana_) March 5, 2025
The Frente Atletico have become a consistent issue for Los Rojiblancos in recent years, with the last Madrid derby at the Metropolitano being stopped due to the number of objects thrown at Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois from the singing section. The Frente also have a strong contingent within that singing section, and there have been calls for Atletico to do more to clamp down upon the Frente.
