ATLETI BEATS MADRID FOR DERBY BRAGGING RIGHTS, THANKS TO YANNICK’S SPOT-KICK.
Atlético de Madrid narrowly beat Real Madrid 1-0 in La Liga (LL), ending their 12-game winless run in league editions of El Derbi Madrileño.
Carlo Ancelotti had made seven changes to a ‘Los Blancos’ side that secured the club’s place in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) final, while Mariano Díaz was injured in the warm up and replaced by Luka Jović, and all of this told in the early stages. Atleti were attacking at will, with Ángel Correa and Yannick Carrasco both dragging their shots marginally wide inside the opening 10 minutes. While the visitors struggled to sustain any sort of meaningful possession, they tightened up defensively and Nacho Fernández was there to block Matheus Cunha’s attempt at placing a shot into the bottom corner on the half-hour mark.
Soon after, fury initially filled the Estadio Wanda Metropolitano when Jesús Vallejo tripped Cunha as the Brazilian raced towards goal, with Marcos Llorente being booked for dissent, but the penalty was eventually given after a VAR check. Carrasco stepped up and slotted past Andriy Lunin, meaning the Belgian has now scored each of Atleti’s last three goals. ‘Los Blancos’ had offered little in an attacking sense but could have equalised late in the half, as Toni Kroos’ strike fizzed agonisingly wide before Jović was denied by Jan Oblak.
Jović had another opening after the break, this time being stopped by Stefan Savić. Moments after Casemiro hit a weak shot from a golden opportunity that was comfortably saved by Oblak, Carrasco sent his effort from an equally good chance over the crossbar. With the game opening up, Antoine Griezmann set up Cunha after Eduardo Camavinga had slipped, but Lunin bailed out the Frenchman with a good save. Federico Valverde had two attempts moments apart, dragging the first wide and seeing the second tipped over by Oblak.
Griezmann hit an effort marginally wide before Carrasco hit the post, but Oblak tipped away venomous strikes from Valverde and Marco Asensio to strengthen Atleti’s form and hold on fourth, with ‘Los Colchoneros’ having now won two of their last five in LL. Real Madrid’s run of five consecutive away league wins is now over, but they won’t be too concerned having already wrapped up the title, with attention turning to the UCL final against Liverpool.
