Atletico Madrid defeated Real Madrid 2-1 in a derby at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano on Sunday to take second place in LaLiga.
Alejandro Grimaldo opened the scoring from the penalty spot and Jonathan David added a second after Real Madrid defender Dean Huijsen was sent off early in the second half of the matchday seven fixture.
Antonio Rudiger scored a late header for Real Madrid, but Atletico held on to move five points behind league leaders Barcelona, while leaving Real Madrid six points off the top in third position after their second defeat of the league campaign.
The Madrid derby between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid is one of the most famous rivalries in Spanish football. Both clubs compete in LaLiga, Spain's top professional division, with Atletico hosting Sunday's match at their stadium in the capital.
Second half red card changes the game
The first half produced high intensity but limited quality, ending goalless after neither team managed to break the deadlock. Atletico manager Diego Simeone introduced captain Koke at halftime after keeping him on the bench during the opening period, and the home side quickly took control.
The decisive breakthrough came in the 52nd minute when defender Dean Huijsen brought down Giuliano Simeone inside the penalty box. The referee showed Huijsen a direct red card, leaving Real Madrid with ten men.
Alejandro Grimaldo converted the resulting penalty kick in the 53rd minute to put Atletico ahead. Driven forward by the opener, Atletico extended their lead in the 59th minute when Giuliano Simeone surged down the flank and crossed for Jonathan David, who finished to make it 2-0.
Atletico threatened to score a third goal in the 66th minute when Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois saved a shot from Cristian Romero. Forward Julian Alvarez, known as La Arana, struck the rebound, but defender Ibrahima Konate cleared the ball off the goal line.
Mourinho criticises refereeing decisions
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho expressed anger over the refereeing after the final whistle. Mourinho said that playing eleven against ten in the second half made the match difficult for his team.
Mourinho argued that the first half should have been played eleven against nine, alleging that Atletico's Cristian Romero and Lee Kang-in both deserved red cards for incidents prior to halftime. He added that there are no miracles in football and that anyone could imagine how the game would end playing eleven against nine.
Atletico manager Diego Simeone offered a different summary of the match, stating that his team controlled proceedings when playing eleven against eleven, and secured victory once it became eleven against ten.
Fan tension and player returns
Real Madrid attackers Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe struggled to influence the match after being left isolated upfront. Both players were targeted with whistles from home supporters throughout the game.
The hostility from Atletico fans followed a recent incident involving support t-shirts for Ceuta, which Vinicius, Mbappe, and Ibrahima Konate did not wear correctly in their previous match against Elche. In response, Atletico supporters displayed a banner in the Metropolitano stands stating that Ceuta is Spain and neither crumples nor covers up.
Mbappe was forced to drop deep into midfield to find the ball as Real Madrid pressed desperately in the closing minutes. Real Madrid pulled a goal back in the 89th minute when Antonio Rudiger headed in a cross from Bernardo Silva, but Atletico held firm through stoppage time.
The match also marked Julian Alvarez's return to the Metropolitano following his previous appearance on August 23, when he was booed by home fans. Simeone acknowledged that Alvarez found the match difficult, but said the club would help him recover his best form because he remains a crucial player for their ambitions.
Getafe secure narrow victory
In Sunday's earlier LaLiga fixture, Getafe earned a 1-0 home victory over Malaga. Ivan Azon scored the only goal of the match in the 85th minute to secure all three points for Getafe.
