Real and Atletico Madrid Play-Out a 1–1 Draw in a Feisty Madrid Derby

The Madrid derby never disappoints, and that statement held true for the latest iteration of the derby. The two cross-city rivals played out a thrilling 1-1 draw, which left many spectators on the edge of the seats. However, there were some ugly scenes too.

The excitement surrounding the Madrid derby was palpable, with both Real Madrid and Atletico entering the clash unbeaten in La Liga. However, the first half didn’t quite live up to the hype, offering little in terms of action. The second half, though, was an entirely different story. It exploded into life when Real Madrid struck first in the 64th minute. Eder Militao sent the away fans into a frenzy with a sensational volley, breaking the deadlock and giving Los Blancos the lead. 

But just as the game was heating up, tensions spilled over—this time off the pitch. Atletico’s infamous ultras, the Fondo Sur, began throwing objects at Real’s goalkeeper and former Atletico star, Thibaut Courtois. Courtois quickly alerted the officials, leading to a lengthy delay. Referees summoned both managers, Diego Simeone and Carlo Ancelotti, as the match was halted for nearly 20 minutes. During the stoppage, captain Koke and Simeone approached the ultras, urging them to calm down.  

Once the play resumed, Atletico piled on the pressure in search of an equalizer. Their relentless efforts were finally rewarded in the 95th minute when Angel Correa, brought on as a substitute, scrambled home a dramatic late equalizer. After the game, Atletico captain Koke reflected on the unruly behavior of the Fondo Sur. "These matches are always filled with tension and intensity," Koke told DAZN. "But this kind of thing shouldn’t happen on a football pitch. We're professionals, and we need to stay smart. Four people can’t ruin it for the entire stadium." 

While the match ended in a stalemate, Atletico’s Marcos Llorente will miss the next three matches after he received a straight red card for a dangerous challenge on Fran Garcia. After the draw, Real currently occupy the 2nd spot in La Liga standings with 18 points. Meanwhile, Atletico sit in the 3rd spot after accruing 16 points in their first eight games of the La Liga campaign. Having said that, this derby was a prime chance for both teams to make up ground on Barcelona, who had suffered a shock 4-2 defeat to Osasuna earlier. Despite inching a point closer to the Catalan side, both Real and Atletico will feel they missed a golden opportunity to significantly close the gap. As it stands, Barcelona remains three points ahead of Real Madrid and five points clear of Atletico at the top of the table.  

Also Read: 3 of the Most Memorable Madrid Derbies in Recent Memory