· 2 min readIn this Atletico vs Real Madrid match, I analyse the key tactical moments, individual performances and turning points of the game.
The biggest derby in Spain brought together two teams that were still fairly unstable. Atlético are almost an enigma by nature: they can either run over an opponent or completely disappear. Real Madrid, on the other hand, continue to have problems in practically every area of the pitch, apart from in goal. So this could have been a high-scoring game or a much more closed affair. In the end, it was somewhere in between.
The first half was balanced, but with very little danger. Atlético constantly looked towards their right flank, where 61% of their attacks came from, and that was clearly where they were trying to create. Real had more possession early on and applied good pressure high up the pitch, but neither team could really reach the goal.
In the 39th minute, Arda Güler forced Oblak into a save from distance, but that was practically it. The game improved whenever it gained speed, because both teams looked less comfortable in positional play.
The numbers perfectly explained the first half: 0.19 xG for Atlético, 0.13 for Real and just one shot on target from the visitors. It was not exactly a bad game, but it was missing the one thing that matters: danger.
Then came a disastrous few minutes for Real. In the 50th minute, Giuliano got in behind Huijsen, who clearly grabbed him without making any attempt to play the ball. Penalty and, after VAR intervention, a straight red card. Real were down to ten men and in serious trouble.
Grimaldo converted the penalty in the 52nd minute. 1-0, Atlético ahead and with an extra player. Real Madrid had completely complicated a derby that had already been evenly matched.
Mourinho reacted immediately, taking off Güler and Vinícius Jr. for Rüdiger and Diomande. And here is a question: whenever Güler comes off, Real seem to lose creativity. The team became even more limited, while Diomande was placed as a left winger and Bellingham dropped deeper to help Tchouaméni and Valverde.
In the 59th minute, Atlético exploited the space again. Giuliano received on the right and played a low cross towards David, completely unmarked inside the area, who tapped in for 2-0. The striker made no mistake and Atlético now had what looked like a definitive advantage.
And Real were completely lost. Atlético reached 80% possession in the second half and, in the 65th minute, almost scored again: Romero headed towards goal, Courtois saved, and Álvarez fired the rebound before Konaté cleared it off the line. Real had no idea what to do.
Diomande, on the other hand, was one of the few positives. In the 77th minute, he produced a good individual run and forced Oblak into a save, which was Real’s first shot of the second half. Mbappé, meanwhile, was completely invisible and it made little sense to keep him on the pitch without any attacking pressure.
In the 89th minute, however, Rüdiger brought the derby back to life. Bernardo Silva delivered a dangerous free kick and the centre-back won the aerial duel to make it 2-1. Suddenly, Real believed again and threw everyone forward in search of an equaliser.
They never found it. Atlético held on during the final minutes, with Simeone even calling for more noise from the supporters in the 90+6th minute.
Post-match
Atlético won a derby that completely changed after the red card. Real had a very poor second half, naturally, and Huijsen’s dismissal ended up destroying a team that was already struggling to create.
