By Ritam Dey in Madrid, Spain
In a heated encounter at the Bernabéu, with the top spot in La Liga at stake, Cholo Simeone’s Atlético Madrid seemed to have an answer for everything Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid had to offer early on. In his pre-match press conference, Ancelotti described the situation as an emergency, missing his entire first-choice back four—Dani Carvajal, Antonio Rüdiger, Éder Militão, and David Alaba. This forced him to field a makeshift central pairing of midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni and Raúl Asencio, who was playing in his first Madrid Derby. Injury woes continue to haunt Madrid this season, and with a Champions League clash against Manchester City approaching, Alaba’s recurring injury has only worsened their situation. Meanwhile, Atlético arrived in high spirits, having thrashed Getafe 5-0 in the Copa del Rey and boasting a five-match unbeaten streak. With Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao also in the title race, the stakes were high. The buildup was fuelledfurther by referee complaints, mockery, and pre-match mind games from both Madrid clubs.
The match began in classic Simeone fashion, with six defenders forming a deep backline, denying Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo any space to cut inside. Atlético’s tactical plan was clear—outnumber Madrid’s full-backs whenever they overlapped, ensuring no 1v1 opportunities in central areas. The well-drilled defensive structure forced Madrid to take long-range shots, limiting their presence in dangerous areas. Meanwhile, Antoine Griezmann’s vision and passing combined with Julián Álvarez’s pace and movement set up Atlético’s counter-attacks. Their patience paid off in the 35th minute, when Tchouaméni conceded a highly controversial penalty, which Álvarezconverted to put Atlético 1-0 ahead. A perfect first half for Simeone.
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— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) February 9, 2025
However, the second half saw a completely different Real Madrid. Jude Bellingham and Dani Ceballos flooded the six-yard box, positioning themselves for crosses from wide areas. The increased presence in the penalty area led to Mbappé pouncing on a loose ball in the D-box, firing home in the 50th minute to make it 1-1—a goal that also kept Madrid on top of the table. Atlético goalkeeper Jan Oblak produced several key saves, denying Rodrygo, Vinícius, and Mbappé. Bellingham came closest to a winner, but his powerful header struck the crossbar, leaving both teams with a point.
As controversy over La Liga refereeing continues, Ancelotti was vocal in his post-match press conference, criticising the penalty decision while also conceding that the game was truly a tale of two halves. He noted that if Atlético had been more clinical on the counter in the first half, the outcome could have been very different. Simeone, meanwhile, made key defensive substitutions, replacing Reinildo and Nahuel Molina in the 63rd minute, but Oblak’s heroics ultimately ensured Atlético held on for a draw.
Despite the deadlock, Barcelona were the real winners at the Bernabéu. A victory over Sevilla on Sunday would bring them within two points of the top spot, setting up a thrilling title race. Meanwhile, Atlético’s resilient performance reinforced their credentials as genuine contenders, as they chase their first La Liga title since 2020–21.