Real Madrid just dropped the first Madrid derby of the season, falling 2-1 to Atletico Madrid at the RiyadhAir Metropolitano. This was a brutal loss, especially after the team already had a shaky performance earlier in the week where they blew a two-goal lead before scraping a late win against Elche. You’d think that would be a wake-up call, right? Well, it looks like it wasn’t.
Mourinho’s Bets Didn’t Pay Off In A Tight First Half
Jose Mourinho made two big changes to the lineup that beat Elche, bringing in Denzel Dumfries and Jude Bellingham. He swapped out Trent Alexander-Arnold and Yan Diomande, clearly looking for a stronger showing. But honestly, the first half was a total snooze-fest. Atletico Madrid had most of the possession, but neither side really created anything dangerous. It was 0-0 at the break, which felt about right, but you knew something had to give. The tension was building, and unfortunately for Real Madrid, it was about to snap in the worst way.
The Second Half Disaster and a Shocking Debut Goal
Just seven minutes into the second half, everything went sideways. Dean Huijsen committed a foul on Giuliano Simeone inside the box, giving Atleti a penalty. And to make matters worse, Huijsen got a straight red card! The referee said he didn’t make a genuine attempt for the ball as the last man, which is just absolutely crushing. Alejandro Grimaldo stepped up and buried the penalty for the hosts. Six minutes later, it got even worse when Giuliano Simeone crossed the ball to Jonathan David, who scored on his Madrid derby debut. Talk about a nightmare scenario: two goals down, and playing with only ten men. All hope looked lost at that point, a complete capitulation.
A Late Fightback That Couldn’t Turn The Tide
To their credit, Real Madrid didn’t just roll over. They rallied late on, showing some real fight when it seemed impossible. Substitute Antonio Rudiger hammered home a header from Bernardo Silva’s free-kick, clawing one back to make it 2-1. They absolutely pushed for an equalizer in stoppage time, desperate to steal a point, but it just wasn’t meant to be. The whistle blew, sealing the 2-1 defeat at the RiyadhAir Metropolitano. This loss means Mourinho’s side now heads into the extended international break on a serious low note. Atletico Madrid climbed above them straight into 2nd place in La Liga thanks to those crucial three points. What a brutal way to go into the break.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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