Madrid belonged to red and white on Sunday.
Not because Atlético Madrid simply survived a derby.
Not because Real Madrid were unlucky.
And not only because Dean Huijsen was sent off.
Atlético Madrid beat Real Madrid 2-1 because when the derby finally opened up, Diego Simeone’s team understood exactly how to attack it.
Alejandro Grimaldo converted a penalty in the 53rd minute.
Jonathan David doubled the advantage six minutes later.
Antonio Rüdiger’s 89th-minute header gave Real Madrid one final burst of hope, but José Mourinho’s side could not complete the escape.
The result lifted Atlético above their city rivals into second place in LaLiga on 16 points, five behind Barcelona and one ahead of Real Madrid.
But the table tells only part of the story.
This was a derby divided into two completely different matches.
The first was tense, physical and cautious.
The second exploded.
Huijsen’s dismissal provided the spark.
Giuliano Simeone provided the damage.
And Atlético provided the authority.
Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid: Match Snapshot
| Match Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Final Score | Atlético Madrid 2-1 Real Madrid |
| Competition | LaLiga – Matchday 7 |
| Date | September 20, 2026 |
| Venue | Riyadh Air Metropolitano |
| Atlético Scorers | Alejandro Grimaldo 53’ (pen), Jonathan David 59’ |
| Real Madrid Scorer | Antonio Rüdiger 89’ |
| Red Card | Dean Huijsen 52’ |
| Possession | Atlético Madrid 61% – 39% Real Madrid |
| Shots | Atlético Madrid 17 – 8 Real Madrid |
| Shots on Target | Atlético Madrid 9 – 3 Real Madrid |
| Expected Goals | Atlético Madrid 2.28 – 0.32 Real Madrid |
| Big Chances | Atlético Madrid 3 – 1 Real Madrid |
| Highest Sofascore Rating | Thibaut Courtois – 8.6 |
| Key Tactical Theme | Atlético seized midfield control after half-time and repeatedly attacked Madrid’s reduced defensive line |
Sofascore recorded Atlético completing 556 accurate passes to Madrid’s 338, reaching the final third 67 times and producing 35 touches in the opposition penalty area. Real managed only 14.
Those numbers reveal how dramatically the match shifted.
The First Half Was a Derby in the Old Sense
There was intensity.
There were arguments.
There were hard challenges.
There was very little space.
What there was not was much quality around goal.
The first half ended 0-0.
Atlético had four shots.
Madrid had six.
Expected goals stood at only 0.19 to 0.13.
Neither goalkeeper was being overwhelmed.
Neither attack was able to establish sustained control.
That suited Atlético more than Madrid.
Simeone’s team were comfortable turning the game into a physical contest.
Madrid wanted more transition space for Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior.
It rarely appeared.
The first 45 minutes therefore felt less like a spectacle and more like preparation for one.
Then the second half arrived.
Koke Changed Atlético Before the Red Card Did
One tactical detail should not be ignored.
Simeone introduced Koke at half-time.
That substitution gave Atlético something they had lacked during the opening period:
calm possession.
Koke completed 61 of 64 passes, created two key chances and gave Atlético a reliable midfielder through whom they could control the tempo.
This mattered because when the decisive moment arrived, Atlético were already beginning to take more control of the ball.
The red card accelerated the transformation.
It did not create the entire tactical shift by itself.
Giuliano Simeone Forces the Decisive Error
The most important player in the match did not score.
Giuliano Simeone changed it.
Early in the second half, Atlético found space behind Madrid.
Giuliano attacked.
Huijsen reacted late.
The Real Madrid defender brought him down inside the penalty area while operating as the last defender.
After VAR intervention, the decision became clear.
Penalty Atlético.
Red card Huijsen.
Madrid were down to 10 men.
This was the moment around which every post-match discussion will revolve.
That is understandable.
But reducing the entire derby to the red card would give Atlético too little credit.
Giuliano created the situation through movement.
He attacked the space aggressively enough to force Huijsen into a desperate decision.
That matters.
Pressure creates mistakes.
Atlético applied it.
Grimaldo Does Not Miss
Alejandro Grimaldo stepped forward.
Derby.
Penalty.
Metropolitano roaring.
Pressure everywhere.
The finish was composed.
Low.
Accurate.
Beyond Courtois.
Atlético Madrid 1-0 Real Madrid.
Grimaldo had given Simeone’s side the advantage.
Madrid now faced two problems simultaneously.
They were losing.
And they had only 10 players.
That combination demanded discipline.
Instead, Atlético smelled vulnerability.
Six Minutes Later, Jonathan David Struck
This was the goal that truly won the derby.
Again, Giuliano Simeone created it.
He attacked down the right.
Real Madrid’s reduced defensive structure shifted toward him.
Giuliano delivered a low ball into the danger area.
Jonathan David arrived.
Left-foot finish.
Goal.
2-0 after 59 minutes.
The sequence exposed Madrid perfectly.
After Huijsen’s dismissal, Mourinho had introduced Rüdiger and Yan Diomande while removing Arda Güler and Vinícius.
The reshuffle protected the centre.
But Atlético immediately stretched the defensive line horizontally.
Giuliano created the width.
David attacked the space.
The execution was simple because the movement before it was excellent.
Jonathan David Is Starting to Look Like an Atlético Striker
David’s adaptation deserves attention.
The Canadian has now scored in three consecutive LaLiga matches, according to Spanish match coverage.
That is important because playing striker for Simeone requires more than goals.
You need to run.
Press.
Compete.
Attack transitions.
Stay involved when Atlético spend long periods without the ball.
Then finish when the opportunity finally appears.
David is increasingly doing all of those things.
Against Madrid, he did not need ten chances.
One clear opportunity was enough.
That is exactly what Atlético need from him.
Giuliano Simeone Was the Real Match-Winner
One penalty won.
One assist.
Constant pressure.
His contribution was enormous.
Giuliano’s performance also represented something very Atlético.
He did not dominate the match through elaborate possession.
He dominated decisive moments through intensity.
He attacked Huijsen.
He forced the red card.
He attacked Madrid again.
He created the second.
Two moments.
Two goals.
Derby changed.
His surname will naturally attract attention.
On this occasion, the football justified it.
Atlético Completely Took Over
After the dismissal, the statistical balance became brutal.
In the second half alone, Atlético had 66% possession and out-shot Real Madrid 13-2.
Madrid produced only 0.19 expected goals after half-time.
Atlético increasingly occupied the final third and forced Madrid deeper.
This is where Simeone deserves praise.
Some teams become nervous after gaining a numerical advantage.
They circulate the ball harmlessly.
They allow the opponent to settle.
Atlético attacked.
They understood Madrid were vulnerable and immediately tried to increase the damage.
That aggression created the second goal.
It nearly created several more.
Courtois Prevented a Derby Humiliation
Here is perhaps the strangest statistic of the night.
Atlético won 2-1.
Yet Thibaut Courtois was the highest-rated player on the pitch.
Sofascore gave him an 8.6.
He made five saves and prevented approximately 1.56 goals above expectation based on the chances he faced.
That tells you how one-sided periods of this derby became.
Without Courtois, Atlético could have scored three.
Possibly four.
The Belgian repeatedly kept Madrid close enough for a late comeback to remain theoretically possible.
A losing goalkeeper being the best statistical performer on the pitch is rarely a positive sign for the team in front of him.
Mbappé Never Found the Match He Wanted
Madrid entered the derby with one obvious weapon.
Kylian Mbappé.
Atlético knew it.
They denied him the space he wanted.
Mbappé produced carries.
Madrid won several individual duels.
But they could not consistently move those moments into dangerous penalty-area situations.
That is reflected by Madrid’s 0.32 total xG.
For a team containing Mbappé, Bellingham and Vinícius from the start, that is extremely low.
The problem was structural.
Madrid could move the ball.
They could not progress it into consistently dangerous areas.
After going down to 10, that became even harder.
Vinícius Was Sacrificed
One of Mourinho’s first responses to Huijsen’s dismissal was removing Vinícius.
The decision made tactical sense.
Madrid needed another central defender.
Someone attacking had to leave.
But the substitution also removed one of Madrid’s best counter-attacking threats at exactly the moment they were going to need transitions most.
That is the cruelty of a red card.
You do not simply lose one player.
You often lose part of your attacking identity too.
With Vinícius gone, Atlético could push more aggressively.
Rüdiger Gives Madrid One Last Chance
Real Madrid are very difficult to kill.
Even when the performance is poor.
Even when they have 10 men.
Even when the opponent has been superior.
That is why Atlético could never completely relax.
In the 89th minute, Bernardo Silva delivered a free-kick.
Rüdiger attacked it.
Header.
Goal.
2-1.
Suddenly the Metropolitano became tense.
Madrid had barely threatened.
Now one more moment could rescue a point.
This is what elite teams do.
They remain alive beyond the point where the performance deserves survival.
But Atlético did not panic.
They managed the final minutes.
The equaliser never arrived.
Simeone Won the Tactical Battle
The temptation will be to say Simeone won because Madrid played with 10.
That is too simple.
Atlético’s manager made a critical half-time substitution.
Koke gave the midfield control.
Giuliano provided the vertical threat.
Jonathan David attacked the right spaces.
Atlético did not become passive after going ahead.
And when Madrid pulled one back late, they remained organised.
Simeone’s team understood the phases of the derby better.
That is management.
Mourinho’s Control Problem Has Not Disappeared
Before the match, Mourinho had already admitted Real Madrid were still learning how to control games.
That weakness appeared again.
Against Inter in the Champions League, Madrid won despite surrendering significant possession and territory.
Against Elche, they nearly surrendered a two-goal lead before finding a late winner.
Against Atlético, the lack of control finally produced a defeat.
Huijsen’s red card changed everything.
But Madrid’s problems were not limited to discipline.
Their midfield never consistently dictated the derby.
Their forwards became isolated.
They generated only eight shots and three on target.
That is not enough for a side with their attacking quality.
Real Madrid Are Already Six Points Behind Barcelona
One derby loss does not decide a title race in September.
But context matters.
Barcelona have started perfectly.
Seven matches.
Seven victories.
21 points.
Atlético now have 16.
Real Madrid have 15.
That means Mourinho’s team are already six points behind Barcelona.
There is a long season ahead.
But Barcelona’s form means Madrid cannot afford to treat poor performances as harmless.
The margin is beginning to grow.
Atlético Have Changed the Mood Around Their Season
Three matches can transform perception.
Atlético beat Real Sociedad 3-0.
Then Osasuna 4-0.
Now Real Madrid 2-1.
Nine goals scored.
One conceded.
The derby victory therefore feels bigger than three points.
It provides evidence that Atlético’s rebuilt squad is beginning to understand Simeone’s demands.
Players such as Jonathan David, Grimaldo, Johnny Cardoso and Giuliano Simeone are becoming increasingly influential.
The transition is starting to look less like experimentation.
It is beginning to look like a team.
Football Today Media Verdict
Atlético Madrid 2-1 Real Madrid will inevitably be remembered for Dean Huijsen’s red card.
It should be remembered for more than that.
Because Atlético did everything a team should do when a derby turns in its favour.
They recognised vulnerability.
They attacked it.
They refused to become cautious.
Giuliano Simeone forced the decisive mistake.
Grimaldo converted the penalty.
Jonathan David attacked the weakened defence and scored the second.
Koke controlled the midfield.
Courtois was forced to keep Real Madrid alive.
The statistics were emphatic:
61% possession.
17 shots to eight.
Nine on target to three.
2.28 xG to 0.32.
Madrid made the final score look close.
For large parts of the second half, the football was not.
Rüdiger’s late header provided tension.
It did not alter the conclusion.
This was Atlético’s derby.
For Simeone, it was one of those victories capable of changing the emotional direction of a season.
For Mourinho, it raised another uncomfortable question.
Real Madrid have extraordinary individuals.
They have Mbappé.
Vinícius.
Bellingham.
Courtois.
But when the game stopped going according to plan, Atlético looked like the more coherent team.
That may be the biggest difference between them right now.
Real Madrid had the stars.
Atlético Madrid owned the night.
Sources
Reuters — Atlético Ride Derby Storm to Beat 10-Man Real Madrid 2-1
Independent match report confirming Huijsen’s dismissal, Grimaldo’s penalty, Jonathan David’s goal, Rüdiger’s late header and the updated LaLiga standings.
Sofascore — Atlético Madrid 2-1 Real Madrid: Courtois Stands Tall
Detailed statistical analysis covering possession, xG, shots, big chances, final-third entries, Koke’s influence and Courtois’ 8.6 rating.
ESPN — Atlético Madrid 2-1 Real Madrid
Independent match report and updated LaLiga standings following the Madrid derby.
Al Jazeera — Atlético Beat 10-Man Real Madrid in Feisty LaLiga Derby
Independent coverage of the red card, penalty, and Atlético’s derby victory.
El País — Huijsen Condemns Real Madrid in the Derby
Spanish analysis of Atlético’s second-half tactical superiority and Koke’s impact.
