FOOTBALL: Atletico Madrid-Real Madrid 3-1
Atletico Madrid executed a perfect game plan to inflict Real Madrid’s first defeat of the season in the capital derby (3-1) at the Metropolitano on Sunday, closing the 6th round of La Liga. As a result, Real Madrid allowed Barcelona to take the top spot in the standings. Atletico, which had been without a win in their last two matches and had won only one of their last 14 derbies against Real Madrid in La Liga, back in May 2022 (1-0), were determined.
So, the Colchoneros, always combative and willing to put in the effort, applied early pressure. And Real’s players were struck by lightning as early as the 4th minute, as promised by ACDC’s «Thunderstruck» music played when the line-ups were announced. It was the inevitable Alvaro Morata who scored against his former club with a header from a cross by Samuel Lino behind Alaba (4th, 1-0), igniting the 69,000 spectators at the Metropolitano.
Barcelona alone at the top Fueled by their home crowd in a fiery atmosphere, Atletico doubled their lead in a similar situation, with Antoine Griezmann beating Kepa with a header from Saul’s cross after a combination on the left flank with Lino (18th, 2-0). On a cross from Valverde cleared into the middle by Savic, the German midfielder bypassed Llorente and reduced the deficit with a superb right-footed half-volley from 20 meters out (35th, 2-1). Carlo Ancelotti’s men thought they had equalized just before halftime, but Camavinga’s goal, which came from a close-range rebound after Alaba’s shot hit the post, was disallowed for passive offside by Rudiger (44th).
At the start of the second half, Atletico resumed their dominance and employed the same recipe that had worked in the first half. Found in the gap, Griezmann set up Saul, who found Morata’s head again, left unmarked by the central defense, to complete his double with a header (3-1).
Real Madrid, suffering their first defeat of the season in all competitions, dropped to third place in La Liga, allowing their other rival, FC Barcelona, who won against Celta Vigo on Saturday, to take the top spot in the standings with a one-point lead.
