Madrid Derby Ends in Chaos: Fan Unrest Marrs 1-1 Draw, Atletico Fans Throw Objects at Courtois

A Derby Marred by Fan Unrest

Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid drew on Sunday evening. But very few will remember the result in the months to come, with fan unrest delaying the fixture in the second half and marring what should have been a captivating 1-1.

Eder Militao grabbed the Madrid goal, and Los Blancos seemed to have done their job in a hostile derby. However, a 99th-minute equaliser from Angel Correa saw the spoils shared. Still, a 21-minute delay due to a small section of Atleti fans hurtling objects onto the pitch will serve as the defining moment from the contest.

Julian Alvarez came closest early, forcing Thibaut Courtois into a tidy save at his near post. Federico Valverde, too, almost broke the deadlock, but was denied by an acrobatic stop by Jan Oblak.

It was an otherwise drab affair that needed a goal to spark things. And Militao provided it, smashing home from close range just after the hour mark after a clever piece of play and cross from Vinicius. But just as the game opened up, it was brought to a grinding halt. A portion of Atleti fans hurtled objects at Courtois - with the game paused for over 20 minutes.

It seemed to be heading for a Madrid win after a sluggish restart. But Correa rescued things late on, staying narrowly onside as he ran through on goal before rounding Courtois and bundling the ball over the line. There was still time for more drama, though, as Marcos Llorente was shown a red card with only seconds left to run on the clock for a reckless challenge on Fran Garcia that summed up the bad-tempered nature of the game.

The Story of the Game

The match, at Atletico's Metropolitano stadium, was disrupted by home supporters with Real Madrid leading 1-0, through Eder Militao's second-half goal. The game was halted for over 20 minutes as fans threw objects, including lighters, at players.

Despite this, the game ultimately ended in a 1-1 draw. Atletico Madrid, despite being down to 10 men, managed to score a late equalizer through Angel Correa.

Player Ratings

Real Madrid

Thibaut Courtois—7: Made some crucial saves though his match will be remembered for “antagonizing” the crowd.
Dani Carvajal—7: Some fantastic first time passes in the first half to play his teammates through on goal.
Antonio Rudiger—6.5: Only blemish will be the goal conceded where he kept Correa onside.
Eder Militao—9: A performance worthy of calling Militao the best center back in the world. In this type of form, there are very few better. Scored a brilliant volley and defended immaculately all game long.
Ferland Mendy—5: Poor in possession with a number of loose passes conceding possession in dangerous areas.
Tchouameni—6: A strange game for the Frenchman, who was a standout defensively but offered very little on the ball.
Luka Modric—7: Some late challenges in the first half that he likely would have timed well in his younger years but was important in build-up with his ability to slow the game down and give Madrid control.
Fede Valverde—6.5: Played more as a right midfielder than centrally which limited some of his impact. Despite not having his best game was still a crucial piece to Madrid’s game plan.
Jude Bellingham—8.5: Carlo Ancelotti needs to develop a tactical plan that gets Jude the ball more often — particularly in tough atmospheres like the Wanda. Never phased by pressure and always picked the right pass.
Vinicius Junior—6.5: Registered an assist on the Militao goal and gave Le Normand and Gimenez trouble when operating centrally.
Rodrygo—5: Never really got going in the match but was brought down in the box for what looked like a clear penalty not awarded or even reviewed by VAR.

Substitutions:

Lucas Vazquez—5: Played too deep on the goal conceded.
Fran Garcia—6: Drew a foul from Marcos Llorente that led to a red card for the Atletico Madrid player.
Endrick—N/A: Nearly scored another goal like the Stuttgart stunner with an early shot from a counter attacking position.

What Next for Real Madrid?

Despite the draw, Real Madrid will be looking to bounce back from this setback. They have a busy schedule ahead of them, including a Champions League clash with AC Milan and a La Liga match against Valencia. Carlo Ancelotti will be hoping to get his team back on track and continue their pursuit of the title.

The Real Madrid manager will be looking to address the issues that led to the fan unrest, as well as the late equalizer. He will also be keen to ensure that his players are focused and ready for the challenges ahead.

The Madrid derby was a tense affair that ended in a draw. But it was the fan unrest that will be the lasting memory of the match. Let’s hope for a more peaceful and sporting contest next time these two rivals meet.