Real Madrid's Thibaut Courtois pointed to tattoo when Atletico fan taunted him

Thibaut Courtois isn’t exactly an adored figure amongst Atletico Madrid fans.

At least, not these days, that is, because the Belgian shot-stopper was indeed a huge hit across a three-year loan spell at the club between 2011 and 2014 that ultimately launched his career into the stratosphere.

The Chelsea loanee bagged back-to-back Ricardo Zamora Trophies between the sticks for Los Rojiblancos as well as winning the La Liga title and reaching a Champions League final.

And while their initial divorce was an amicable one with Courtois recalled to his parent club, let’s just say that the goalkeeper’s eventual return to Spain wasn’t met with quite the same level of understanding.

That’s because Courtois took the decision to sign for Atletico’s fiercest local rivals, Real Madrid, cuing furious responses from certain sections of support on the red and white side of the city.

As such, it should come as no surprise to learn that Courtois’ subsequent returns to the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium haven’t exactly seen him greeted with open arms, hugs and kisses.

And ahead of a particularly tense instalment in the long history of the Madrid derby on Sunday night, Courtois was given the sort of welcome that any player moving between major rivals can come to expect from football fans.

In fact, the 30-year-old must have been acutely aware of some of the taunting and abuse that was being hurled his way by the home fans based on remarkable footage released by Spanish television channel GOL PLAY.

It shows Courtois receiving pelters from one particularly animated Atletico fan who, based on the subtitles and our attempts on Google Translate, seems to be obsessed with getting the Belgian to look in his direction.

But the Real shot-stopper was