Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid Review
In a dramatic La Liga match at the Cívitas Metropolitano, Ángel Correa’s stoppage-time goal allowed Atlético Madrid to secure a draw against their city rivals, Real Madrid. The atmosphere in the stadium was electric, but the match started off cautiously as both teams settled into the first Derbi de Madrid of the season.
Julián Alvarez, making his debut in the derby for Atlético, had the first opportunity just nine minutes in, managing to shake off Antonio Rüdiger and testing Thibaut Courtois from a tight angle. Real Madrid took until the 17th minute to challenge Jan Oblak, with Federico Valverde’s long-range shot forcing a strong save from the Slovenian goalkeeper. As is typical in such high-stakes matches, the first half was filled with tough tackles, resulting in an entertaining yet somewhat chaotic game. Oblak successfully denied Jude Bellingham’s attempt, while Dani Carvajal’s close-range header from a corner was also blocked.
Real Madrid had the upper hand in the first half, and the second half began in a similar fashion. Despite Diego Simeone making several substitutions early in the second half, it was Carlo Ancelotti’s team that dominated and took the lead shortly after the hour mark from an unexpected player. Vinícius Júnior sent a cross from the right after a poorly executed free-kick, which found Militão at the back post. He skillfully controlled the ball before scoring a rare goal.
This goal ignited tensions in the stands, prompting referee Mateo Busquets Ferrer to pause the game for nearly 20 minutes due to projectiles being thrown towards Courtois’ goal. When play resumed, Vinícius returned energized and, after outmaneuvering José María Giménez, forced Oblak to make a save by tipping his long-range shot around the post.
Atlético struggled to create offensive opportunities but shocked Real Madrid in the dying moments of stoppage time, continuing their trend of late-game excitement this season. Correa received a through-ball from Javi Galán and skillfully rounded Courtois to score. Although the goal was initially ruled offside, VAR determined he was onside, leading to chaos among the fans. Marcos Llorente received a red card in the ninth minute of added time, but the match concluded with a thrilling draw.
