Atletico Madrid secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over 10-man Real Madrid in a La Liga derby clash on Sunday. The win saw Diego Simeone's side move up to second in the table, five points behind leaders Barcelona and one point ahead of Real Madrid. The match was marked by controversy, with Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho expressing his frustration with the referee's decisions. Mourinho felt that two challenges from Atletico players Cristian Romero and Lee Kang-in should have resulted in red cards.
The game took a pivotal turn early in the second half when Real Madrid's Dean Huijsen was sent off for pulling down Giuliano Simeone in the box, resulting in a penalty that Alejandro Grimaldo converted to give Atletico the lead. Mourinho reacted to the red card by making tactical substitutions, bringing on club record signing Yan Diomande and Antonio Rudiger. However, it was Atletico who scored again, with Jonathan David tucking away Giuliano Simeone's low cross on 59 minutes to make it 2-0.
Real Madrid did manage to pull one back late in the game, with Rudiger scoring after a save from goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. However, it was too little, too late, as Atletico held on for the win. The victory marked Atletico's ability to compete with top teams, with midfielder Koke stating that his side can win trophies if they give 100 percent effort. Koke emphasized that beating a team like Real Madrid, one of the best in the world, was a significant achievement.
The match was marked by tension and controversy, with several incidents involving players from both teams. An incident between Jude Bellingham and Atletico defender Cristian Romero saw Bellingham initially booked, but the card was later removed and issued to Romero after a VAR review. Real Madrid were also unhappy with a heavy tackle by Lee Kang-in on Federico Valverde, which went unpunished.
Despite the tensions, the game lacked excitement and footballing quality in the first half, with neither side creating clear chances. The main talking point was the incident between Bellingham and Romero, and the challenges from Romero and Lee Kang-in that Mourinho felt should have been red cards. Mourinho started with Aurelien Tchouameni in midfield over Bernardo Silva, opting for defensive clout over creativity.
Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak made a crucial save to deny Yan Diomande, while Bellingham rowed with Giuliano Simeone as Madrid's frustrations showed. The hosts came close to getting a third goal but Courtois made an excellent save to deny Julian Alvarez and Ibrahima Konate reacted brilliantly to head Grimaldo's effort from the rebound off the line. The win marked a significant result for Atletico, who are now well-placed to challenge for the title.
The result left Real Madrid trailing leaders Barcelona by six points, with Mourinho grumbling about the difficulty his team faced after Huijsen's red card. Mourinho stated that there are no miracles in football and that playing with 11 players against 10 is a significant advantage. The loss was Real Madrid's second of the campaign, and they now sit third in the table.
Key points
- Atletico Madrid moved up to second in the La Liga table with the win.
- Real Madrid's Dean Huijsen was sent off early in the second half for a foul on Giuliano Simeone.
- The win marked a significant result for Atletico, who are now well-placed to challenge for the title.
