Real Madrid lost to its neighbor, Atletico Madrid, with a score of 1-2, in the match that was held at the “Metropolitano” stadium in the seventh round of the Spanish Football League, in a match that witnessed great tension and widespread arbitration controversy.
The first half of the capital derby ended in a goalless draw amid a balanced performance and caution from both teams, before the scene completely changed in the second half, which witnessed excitement and goals.
The decisive turning point came in the 53rd minute when the video assistant referee (VAR) technology intervened, and the referee showed the red card in the face of Real Madrid defender Dean Huysen after he interfered with Giuliano Simeone inside the penalty area. Alejandro Grimaldo successfully converted the penalty kick, announcing the lead for Atletico, before Jonathan David added the second goal in the 59th minute, taking advantage of a new start by Simeone from the right side. The two teams scored with two goals in just six minutes, before Antonio Rudiger reduced the gap for Real Madrid with a brilliant header in the 89th minute.
After the final whistle, tensions escalated, as Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho directed sharp public criticism at the refereeing team, considering that the decisions directly affected the course of the confrontation. Despite the impact of the expulsion case and the controversial interventions of the VAR technology, the course of the match showed the inability of the royal team to deal with the numerical deficiency, as mental fragility was reflected in the collapse of the back lines and conceding two goals in a short time, wasting the remaining time amid late attempts to return.
With this victory, Atletico Madrid succeeded in achieving a historical achievement that had been absent since January 1977, achieving victory in two consecutive derbies on its home field against its traditional rival for the first time since that date.
