A thrilling encounter at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu saw Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid lock horns in a dramatic derby that culminated in a 1-1 draw. The match, played on Saturday, required Real Madrid's coach Carlo Ancelotti to field a makeshift backline due to a spate of injuries. Despite these challenges, Kylian Mbappe made a memorable impact in his first derby appearance, securing an equalizer for the hosts in the second half.
Real Madrid entered the match in exceptional form, having secured victory in 19 of their previous 21 games across all competitions. Their defensive prowess was also noteworthy, with just 15 goals conceded in 23 games, the best record in Europe’s top five leagues. However, the absence of key defenders compelled Ancelotti to assemble an untested defensive lineup comprising Lucas Vázquez, Aurélien Tchouameni, Raul Asencio, and Fran García.
Atletico Madrid, under the guidance of coach Diego Simeone, capitalized on this vulnerability when Julian Alvarez converted from the penalty spot in the 35th minute. The penalty was awarded following a challenge by Tchouameni on Samuel Lino, giving Atletico an early advantage in the Spanish capital.
“In the first half, we played very well,” said Diego Simeone, acknowledging his team's initial dominance.
Antoine Griezmann demonstrated his invaluable contribution to Atletico with precise passing under pressure, further enhancing their attacking threat. Real Madrid, however, began their resurgence shortly after halftime. Rodrygo initiated the comeback by skillfully dribbling past Javi Galan and Lino, creating opportunities for his team.
Mbappe's equalizer came in the 50th minute when he seized upon a blocked effort by Jude Bellingham to slot home. This goal marked a turning point for Real Madrid as they gained momentum and control over the match.
“We controlled the second half well. We scored and had chances. We played a very good second half. First half was different. We were very slow and not aggressive enough,” remarked Carlo Ancelotti, reflecting on his team's performance.
Atletico's attempts to regain their lead were thwarted by a resilient Madrid defense and crucial saves from Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak, who denied efforts from Rodrygo, Vinícius Júnior, and Mbappe. Despite sharing the points, both teams had moments where victory seemed within reach.
“In the second half, they scored right away, then hit the bar. It was very intense,” commented Diego Simeone on the second-half dynamics.
“After 20 minutes in the second half, we also had our opportunities … Julian [Alvarez] slipped on one, [Marcos] Llorente a couple of times. At the end, it was a draw, [but] both teams thought they could win the game,” Simeone added.
While Real Madrid remained at the forefront of the league standings, Barcelona trailed behind in third place, five points adrift as they prepared for their upcoming match against Sevilla. Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid continued their pursuit of glory under Simeone's leadership, aiming to add to their league titles won in 2021 and 2014.
