Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid played out a tense 1-1 draw in El Derbi Madrileño on Saturday, with both teams settling for a share of the spoils at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Julian Alvarez put Atletico Madrid ahead from the penalty spot late in the first half after Aurelien Tchouameni was penalized for a foul on Samuel Lino. Real Madrid failed to register a shot on target in a frustrating opening 45 minutes.
However, Kylian Mbappe equalized for Los Blancos just five minutes after the restart, reacting quickly to slot home after Jude Bellingham’s initial shot was blocked.
Real Madrid pushed hard for a winner, with Bellingham hitting the crossbar and Jan Oblak making key saves, but Diego Simeone’s side held firm to deny them three points.
Real Madrid Player Ratings (4-3-3)
Starting XI:
- GK: Thibaut Courtois – 6.2/10
- Not overly tested but couldn’t do much about the penalty.
- RB: Lucas Vazquez – 7.9/10
- Provided energy down the right flank and was defensively solid.
- CB: Aurelien Tchouameni – 6.9/10
- Conceded the penalty, but was otherwise composed in defense.
- CB: Raul Asencio – 7.5/10
- Defended well against Atletico’s counterattacks.
- LB: Fran Garcia – 7.2/10
- Solid defensively and made good overlapping runs.
- DM: Dani Ceballos – 8.5/10 ⭐ (Man of the Match)
- Controlled the midfield, dictated play, and provided creativity.
- CM: Federico Valverde – 7.5/10
- Full of energy and worked tirelessly in midfield.
- CM: Jude Bellingham – 7.6/10
- Came close to scoring twice and was a driving force in attack.
- RW: Rodrygo – 8.0/10
- Lively throughout, tested Oblak multiple times.
- ST: Kylian Mbappe – 7.7/10
- Scored the equalizer and was a constant threat.
- LW: Vinicius Junior – 7.1/10
- Showed flashes of brilliance but struggled to break through Atletico’s defense.
Substitutes:
- Eduardo Camavinga (80′ for Ceballos) – 6.4/10
- Added fresh legs but had limited impact.
- Luka Modric (81′ for Vazquez) – 6.0/10
- Brought experience but couldn’t create a clear-cut chance.
- Brahim Diaz (88′ for Rodrygo) – N/A
Subs not used: Andriy Lunin (GK), Sergio Mestre (GK), Ferland Mendy, Jacobo Ramon, Jesus Vallejo, Lorenzo Aguado, Gonzalo Garcia, Arda Guler, Endrick
Atletico Madrid Player Ratings (4-4-2)
Starting XI:
- GK: Jan Oblak – 8.1/10
- Made several key saves to preserve the draw.
- RB: Marcos Llorente – 7.3/10
- Defended well and supported attacks when possible.
- CB: Jose Gimenez – 6.8/10
- Had a few shaky moments but was solid overall.
- CB: Clement Lenglet – 6.6/10
- Did well under pressure but struggled against Mbappe.
- LB: Javi Galan – 6.9/10
- Limited Vinicius Junior’s impact down the left.
- RM: Giuliano Simeone – 6.2/10
- Worked hard but lacked quality in attack.
- CM: Rodrigo de Paul – 6.6/10
- Battled in midfield but struggled against Ceballos.
- CM: Pablo Barrios – 6.9/10
- Kept things ticking in midfield.
- LM: Samuel Lino – 7.1/10
- Won the penalty but faded in the second half.
- ST: Antoine Griezmann – 7.1/10
- Involved in buildup play but lacked goal-scoring chances.
- ST: Julian Alvarez – 7.5/10
- Took his penalty well and was lively in attack.
Substitutes:
- Koke (64′ for Lino) – 6.0/10
- Struggled to influence the game.
- Nahuel Molina (64′ for Simeone) – 6.3/10
- Provided defensive reinforcement.
- Reinildo (64′ for Galan) – 6.2/10
- Helped secure the draw late on.
- Angel Correa (77′ for De Paul) – 5.7/10
- Had little impact after coming on.
- Alexander Sorloth (81′ for Alvarez) – N/A
Subs not used: Juan Musso (GK), Axel Witsel, Cesar Azpilicueta, Ilias Kostis, Rodrigo Riquelme, Conor Gallagher, Thomas Lemar
Match Analysis & Talking Points
Atletico Madrid’s First-Half Dominance
- Simeone’s side controlled the first half, pressing well and taking the lead through Alvarez’s penalty.
Real Madrid’s Second-Half Response
- Ancelotti’s halftime adjustments saw Mbappe equalize quickly and Bellingham hit the crossbar.
Jan Oblak’s Heroics
- The Atletico goalkeeper made crucial saves to deny Bellingham, Vinicius, and Rodrygo, securing a valuable point.
What’s Next?
- Real Madrid face Manchester City in the Champions League on February 11, a crucial game in their season.
- Atletico Madrid remain in contention for a top-four finish in LaLiga.
Final Verdict
Real Madrid: ★★★★☆ – A dominant second half but lacked clinical finishing.
Atletico Madrid: ★★★☆☆ – Defended well but lost control in the second half.
Next up: Real Madrid travel to Manchester City, while Atletico Madrid focus on their next LaLiga fixture.
