Diego Simeone, coach of Atlético de Madrid, explained that, despite not "agreeing with certain ways of seeing situations" with Thibaut Courtois regarding the Real Madrid goalkeeper's alleged provocation during the last derby, he is "grateful for all the work" the player did when he was part of the rojiblanco club.

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"Courtois is one of the best goalkeepers in the world. It's clear that we may not agree on certain ways of seeing things, but the truth is that I’m grateful for all the work he did with us because we were fortunate enough to play in a Champions League final and win LaLiga. He was crucial during that process," Simeone recalled in a press conference ahead of Atlético's match against Lille in the Champions League.  

The Belgian goalkeeper, whom Simeone accused of provoking the crowd during the recent derby, played for Atlético under the Argentine coach from the 2011-12 to the 2013-14 season.  

He made a total of 154 appearances and won four titles: a Europa League (2011-12), a UEFA Super Cup (2012), a Copa del Rey (2012-13), and a LaLiga title (2013-14).