By Samuel A. February 8, 2025
Atletico Madrid managed to salvage a point at the Bernabéu on Saturday evening in the Madrid derby, giving more entertainment to the title race and also giving Barça a chance to join the race after their terrible December slip up.
Real Madrid’s 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid meant there’s no change at the top of the table, with just one point still separating the two teams, also giving Barça a chance to close their gap from the top to two points. Julián Álvarez’s first-half penalty had Atletico hoping they might secure their first win at the Santiago Bernabéu since 2016, but Kylian Mbappé’s equalizer early in the second half meant the visitors had to settle for a point.
Julián Álvarez put Atletico ahead from the penalty spot in the 35th minute. Mbappé equalized in the 50th for the hosts, which stayed one point ahead of Atletico in the standings. Jude Bellingham hit the crossbar with a header as Madrid searched for a second goal. Atletico goalkeeper Jan Olbak made saves to deny Rodrygo, Vinícius Júnior and Mbappé to split the points at the Santiago Bernabeu.
A spate of injuries left Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti relying on a makeshift backline of Lucas Vázquez, regular midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni, youth player Raul Asencio, and Fran García.
A slight challenge by Tchouaméni tripped Samuel Lino, which was spotted by a video review referee and was controversially given as a penalty. Álvarez gently stroked his penalty down the middle as Thibaut Courtois dived to his left. Antoine Griezmann showed again his great value to Atletico with precision passing even under duress. The French midfielder twice placed perfectly weighted balls that left Álvarez and Lino in good position to get off shots inside the area, but the attackers ruined the opportunities.
Rodrygo sparked the Madrid comeback just after halftime when he dribbled past Javi Galan and Lino on the right side and slipped a ball to Bellingham in the heart of the box. Bellingham’s scuffed shot hit a defender and fell to Mbappé, who had missed the first leg due to injury, to rifle home for his first goal against Atletico.
Madrid poured forward searching for a second goal with Atletico rattled. Vinícius dribbled down the left side and scooped the ball for Bellingham, who smashed a header off the woodwork. Simeone changed both his full backs with Reinildo and Nahuel Molina in the 63rd, but Oblak still had to come to Atletico’s rescue on three occasions. “It is going to be a tightly contested league until the very end,” Ancelotti said.
