Atlético Madrid won a fractious derby against Real Madrid, going two goals up against 10 men through Álex Grimaldo’s penalty and a Jonathan David finish before Antonio Rüdiger’s late header revived old ghosts and brought tension to the closing minutes. Diego Simeone’s side, seemingly in control for long stretches, held on.
Simeone had described it as a special week in Madrid, speaking of a “tremendous energy about the city”, and it ended as he wanted, sending him sprinting up the tunnel punching the air after the final whistle. He had enjoyed the Formula One, he said, and he had enjoyed going to see Shakira. Atlético’s goalkeeper Jan Oblak summed up the mood: “A lot has happened in Madrid this week but this was the only thing that mattered in his mind and mine.”
For José Mourinho, the first derby of his return to Real Madrid ended in defeat and recriminations. He arrived at his press conference with a picture of two moments in which he felt Atlético players — Lee Kang-in and Cristian Romero — should have been sent off, insisting the story of the derby was there. It is 13 years since these two managers met in this fixture, the last occasion being the day Atlético finally broke a curse and won the Copa del Rey at the Santiago Bernabéu. That night Mourinho was sent off and did not collect his runner’s-up medal from the king, as Atlético claimed their first derby win in 13 years.
The first half was more battle than football for long stretches. Twenty minutes passed before the first shot, Aurélien Tchouaméni striking over from 25 yards, and not until the 39th minute was there an effort on target, Oblak pushing away Arda Güler’s strike from outside the area. Tension had built almost from the start, with Güler the first to confront the referee after being fouled by Álex Baena, then responding by fouling Baena in turn. Simeone was booked after something was said from the bench.
The half’s most significant moment was not about the play. Jude Bellingham slid in to tackle Romero and was shown a red card, leaving him, his teammates and the Real bench incensed. The referee, Miguel Ángel Ortiz, was called to the video screen and saw Romero’s studs hit Bellingham’s knee; the decision was rescinded and the card taken away. Atlético felt it should have been a red, and when Lee’s studs went in on Federico Valverde, Real felt the same. Confrontations continued and angry words were exchanged, and at half-time two further red cards were issued — to Atlético’s goalkeeper coach and Real’s assistant.
The second half was a different game. Koke was introduced and Baena immediately forced a save, Atlético’s first shot on target. Their second soon after gave them the lead and an advantage even bigger than that. A long ball over the top from David Hancko dropped into the run of Giuliano Simeone, and as he tried to bring it down and head into the area, Dean Huijsen dragged him down. Ortiz pointed to the spot and was called to the VAR screen again — not to overturn a penalty that could not have been clearer, but to change the colour of the card. Huijsen walked, Grimaldo scored, and the Metropolitano erupted.
Mourinho responded by removing Güler and Vinícius Júnior for Yan Diomandé and Rüdiger. Vinícius had done little, racking up just 22 touches, and a readjustment was required, though such decisions have caused splits before: his late removal in last year’s clásico, a night Real Madrid actually won, was the beginning of the end for Xabi Alonso. The change had no real impact. Atlético doubled their lead instead, again from the right, where the outstanding Lee worked the ball to Simeone, whose low cross bent behind Madrid’s back four and was turned in by David from six yards.
David was withdrawn immediately, Julián Álvarez replacing him to whistles from the home fans, and still Atlético came. Courtois made an extraordinary save from Romero, and as the ball dropped Konaté rescued Madrid twice, the second time clearing off the line from Álvarez. Simeone brought on Ademola Lookman too.
Real Madrid could do almost nothing. Oblak barely saw them, and not once in that second half did they touch the ball in his area until they scored in the 89th minute. Kylian Mbappé barely touched the ball anywhere. When Diomandé at last got away with 15 minutes to go, Oblak saved a shot hit straight at him, wasting the chance to make a match of the final minutes. From a dead ball, though, Rüdiger headed in to give them hope — a few minutes of rebellion that proved brief and incomplete.