Atletico Madrid 2-1 Real Madrid result, stats and report

Atletico Madrid won the Madrid derby 2-1 on Sunday afternoon, but do not let the scoreline fool you into thinking this was comfortable. It was scrappy, physical, and bad-tempered in the best possible way. Atletico earned it. Real Madrid, for large portions of this match, did not deserve anything.

A Match That Had Everything Except Composure

The tone was set inside six minutes. Diego Simeone picked up a card for an argument from the touchline. Six minutes. The man cannot help himself, and honestly, why would you want him to. That is the attitude that runs through this club from top to bottom, and it showed in how Atletico went about their business all afternoon.

Real Madrid came into this in strong form across their last five La Liga matches, winning four and losing just once, to Real Betis. But that away record counted for nothing here. Atletico controlled this game. They had 61 per cent of the ball. They had 18 shots to Real Madrid's eight. They had nine shots on target to Real Madrid's three. The thing is, this was not a contest between two evenly matched sides on the day. Atletico were the better team, full stop.

The Cards, the Chaos, and the Red

The first half descended into a disciplinary mess. Marc Pubill picked up a yellow for a foul on 35 minutes, and three minutes later Cristian Romero followed him into the book for another foul. VAR then reviewed Romero's challenge and upgraded it. Romero was off at the break, effectively. Atletico started the second half a man down in terms of defensive solidity, with Pubill already booked and Romero's situation unresolved heading into the interval.

Simeone responded immediately, bringing on Koke for Pubill at half-time. Sensible management. You do not leave a booked full-back on when the other side are going to push in the second half. That is basics.

Real Madrid were not without their own problems. Denzel Dumfries was booked for an argument on 49 minutes. Dean Huijsen received a VAR card on 51 minutes. Real Madrid finished the match with a red card on their record and two yellows. That tells you everything about how they competed, or rather how poorly they managed themselves when the game was slipping away.

The Goals: David Does the Damage, Grimaldo Converts

Atletico took the lead through a penalty on 53 minutes. Alejandro Grimaldo stepped up and converted. It was the only penalty of the match, and Atletico took it cleanly.

Jonathan David then made it 2-0 on 59 minutes with a left-foot finish, assisted by Giuliano Simeone. David was sharp, clinical, and exactly what Atletico needed. He was substituted off for Julian Alvarez on 62 minutes, which might raise an eyebrow, but Simeone clearly had a plan for the final half hour.

Real Madrid made double changes on 54 minutes, bringing on Antonio Rudiger and Yan Diomande for Arda Guler and Vinicius Junior respectively. Pulling Vinicius Junior at 2-0 down before the hour mark is a bold call. It did not look like the decision of a manager who trusted his side to chase the game. Rudiger, however, justified his introduction in the most dramatic fashion possible.

On 89 minutes, Rudiger headed home from a Bernardo Silva assist to make it 2-1. Real Madrid had a lifeline, and Atletico had to hold on. They did. The full-time whistle confirmed what the stats had been saying for 90 minutes. Atletico were the better side, and they got what they deserved.

Atletico's Dominance in Numbers

The statistics back up everything the eyes told you. Atletico had 114 attacks to Real Madrid's 84. They had 55 dangerous attacks to Real Madrid's 36. They created three big chances to Real Madrid's one. Their goalkeeper made two saves. Real Madrid's keeper made five. That is the difference between a side that controlled a match and a side that was clinging on.

Atletico's passing accuracy was 90 per cent from 618 attempts. Real Madrid completed 338 passes at 86 per cent. This was one-way traffic for extended periods. Atletico's defenders made nine interceptions to Real Madrid's six. Atletico had 13 shots inside the box. Real Madrid had three. Three.

The thing is, Real Madrid's duels won total was 63 to Atletico's 30, which shows they were working hard without the ball, but the problem was they could not get hold of it long enough to threaten in any meaningful way. Jude Bellingham was booked for a foul on 78 minutes and was then substituted off for Bernardo Silva on 82 minutes. That substitution, ironically, produced the assist for Rudiger's goal.

What This Means

Real Madrid had won four of their last five in La Liga but were restricted to one goal and three shots on target here. Their injury list is substantial, with multiple players unavailable, and it showed. The squad depth that was called upon did not match the occasion.

Atletico Madrid were the better side. They outshot, out-attacked, out-passed and out-thought Real Madrid on this occasion. The result was deserved. The margin could have been wider. Rudiger's header at the death gave the scoreline a flattering look for the visitors, but that is football. You get what you earn over 90 minutes, and today Atletico earned three points. End of.