This Atlético-Real Madrid is a derbi with a bitter taste for everyone. The result (1-1) cannot satisfy anyone and neither can the content offered on the pitch or in the stands. A look back at a heated Madrid derbi between the two rival clubs in the capital.
Off the pitch, the match was eventful. With the call to wear masks from a group of Atlético supporters to allegedly denounce the media treatment of the club, and the usual fears surrounding a derbi, this match was also going to take place in the stands. And unfortunately, that was the case.
After Eder Militao’s opening score, Thibaut Courtois celebrated in front of his former audience, which enraged the southern corner of the Civitas Metropolitano. Beyond the animosity, chants and insults that are an integral part of a derbi, some idiots went beyond these limits and threw lighters and food at the Belgian goalkeeper.
This was followed by an interruption of the meeting for 10 minutes to calm the enthusiasm of the colchonero public and identify the few idiots responsible for the interruption. We can also note the excellent management of referee Busquets. The latter applied the regulations to the letter and was able to count on the logical cooperation of Real Madrid, but also of Cholo Simeone, and his players who appealed for calm at the bottom of the South Fund.
Theater of the best and worst that happened during this meeting, the Real Madrid midfielder is the key to this match. Aurélien Tchouaméni came through in his role as number 6, with some good defensive interventions all too quickly forgotten by losses of fast balls. He who accustomed us to playing simple and effective was not clean in this register and put his team in difficulty.
Conversely, his teammate Jude Bellingham (again) shone with his versatility. Key element defensively on the left side and catalyst of the attack in the axis, the Englishman was once again in the oven and the mill. He took full advantage of the immense freedom left by Ancelotti with the ball, and respected strict placement instructions, at loss, in pressing and in defense. At his side, Luka Modrić went back in time by not missing a single pass while Valverde was once again the lifeblood of this team with 92% successful passes and 9 recoveries.
The black spot of this match on the green rectangle on the Real Madrid side comes from the bench. First inspired by the Modric choice and a well-oiled pressing, Ancelotti scuttled himself. The Italian technician waited until the 87th minute to make his first changes: Endrick for Vinicius and Vazquez for Modric. He continued in the 90th with a change from Fran Garcia to Rodrygo.
More than cautious choices since his team, well in place and with effective pressing, was no longer worried about that despite the need to score on the Atlético side. It was Ancelotti’s tactical choices that forced Real Madrid to defend and White House pays the high price with an equalizer in the final moments. A price that Real already paid during the last derbi with the conservative entries of Ceballos in place of Bellingham and Modric in that of Rodrygo. Let’s hope that the adage “Never two without three” is not known to Carlo Ancelotti.
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