In a thrilling derby clash at the Metropolitano Stadium, Atlético Madrid emerged victorious with a convincing 3-1 win over arch-rivals Real Madrid.
Former Real Madrid striker Álvaro Morata set the tone early, scoring for Atlético. Antoine Griezmann doubled the lead before Toni Kroos pulled one back for Real Madrid just before halftime. However, Morata wasted no time in the second half, securing his brace seconds after the restart.
This defeat marked Real Madrid’s first loss of the season, ending their perfect start in La Liga and relinquishing their position at the top of the table. Manager Carlo Ancelotti’s tactical experiment, fielding four central midfielders and deploying Jude Bellingham as a second striker alongside Rodrygo, didn’t yield the desired results.
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Ancelotti shouldered the responsibility for the loss, acknowledging that he could have managed the team better. He expressed accountability for the team’s performance and highlighted the need for improvement.
Atlético Madrid made the most of their opportunities, with Morata and Griezmann finding success in the wide areas. Kroos briefly reignited Real Madrid’s hopes with a powerful goal, but the team was unable to find an equalizer.
There were contentious moments during the match, including a disallowed goal for Real Madrid due to offside and a disputed red card decision that went against them. Despite these incidents, Atlético Madrid maintained their lead and secured only their second derby win in La Liga since the 2015/16 season.
Carlo Ancelotti expressed particular concern about his team’s defensive performance, emphasizing the need for better defensive organization.
With this result, Real Madrid now stands third in La Liga, trailing Girona and league leaders Barcelona by a point. Atlético Madrid has climbed to fifth place in the standings following this memorable victory.
