Thibaut Courtois questions derby decisions but rejects Real Madrid ‘victim mentality’

Thibaut Courtois said he could not understand some of the refereeing decisions in Real Madrid’s 2-1 defeat by Atletico de Madrid, but insisted the club must not portray itself as a victim.

The Belgium goalkeeper expressed his frustration after the capital derby, in which several decisions by referee Miguel Angel Ortiz Arias attracted criticism from Real Madrid players. However, Courtois stressed that discussing those incidents should not be interpreted as an attempt to blame the referee or excuse the result.

“I am really tired of this whole victim mentality. Referees do not want to favour either side, whether in Spain or Europe,” Courtois said, in comments reported by Tribuna.

Asked directly to assess the referee’s performance during the match, the Real Madrid goalkeeper gave a more pointed response and admitted that some of the decisions were difficult for him to comprehend.

“Absolutely, I do not understand it at all; we should have won,” he said.

Real Madrid’s players had voiced their dissatisfaction with a number of calls during a match which ended in a 2-1 victory for Atletico de Madrid. The result left questions within the club, both over the outcome and over the officiating decisions that shaped the derby.

Despite the disappointment of losing, Courtois also used his post-match actions to underline his commitment to Real Madrid. In front of Atletico de Madrid supporters, he kissed the club badge, signalling his continued attachment to the team and its shirt even after a difficult defeat.

Explaining the gesture, Courtois said: “My gesture at the end? I love Real Madrid. I am where I am supposed to be. I love these colours even in defeat.”

His comments combined criticism of decisions he felt were unclear with a rejection of the idea that Real Madrid should adopt a grievance-based approach. While the goalkeeper believed his side should have won, he made clear that he did not want the club to use refereeing as a justification for the loss.

The defeat by Atletico de Madrid therefore produced two messages from Courtois: frustration at the handling of key moments in the derby, but also a determination that Real Madrid should not present itself as the wronged party.