Real Madrid continued their perfect start and got off to a full start by beating neighbors Atlético Madrid 2-1 yesterday Sunday to retake the lead for rival Barcelona at the end of the sixth stage of the Spanish Football League.
Real Madrid extended their lead to 18 points in 6 matches, and to 9 consecutive victories in various competitions (European Super Cup and European Champions League), two points ahead of Barcelona, and three points behind Real Betis, the third winner of Girona 2-1 earlier.
This is the best start of the Spanish and European champions in La Liga since the 1987-1988 season.
Argentina’s Diego Simeone has made his French striker Antoine Griezmann key for the first time this season in a derby at the Metropolitano Stadium.
Griezmann has never played a key role in his team’s matches this season due to a clause in his post-loan deal from Barcelona, and he has played less than half an hour at the end of every game he has played.
In a tense atmosphere and accompanying criticism of voices urging striker Vinicius Junior not to dance in honor of his goal, the Brazilian has once again become the victim of racist chants from Atlético fans.
But the racist campaigns that many former and current players have faced in solidarity with the Brazilian did not prevent Real Madrid from showing a high level and stunned their hosts with two goals in the first half, taking advantage of two counterattacks, while Atlético faced the defense of Real Madrid and the strength of the Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
Italian manager Carlo Ancelotti’s side seemed confident in light of the strength of the tackles in this derby and the numerous objections, so Real Madrid opened the scoring after an individual action from Uruguayan’s brilliant late-period midfielder Federico Valverde.
And Valverde turned into the top scorer after the joint game between Vinicius Junior and Croatian Luka Modric, who sent the ball deep down the left flank, ending with a Uruguayan post into an empty net (36).
Atlético managed to close the gap with a goal from substitute Mario Hermoso, 12 minutes after he came on as a substitute for Belgian Yannick Carrasco, after a corner from Griezmann, Brazilian Eder Militao failed to clear the ball in front of Courtois. receiving a second yellow card within two minutes.
