by Real Madrid had the League in its grasp. They distanced themselves four points from Girona, ten from Barça and 13 from Atlético, also hosting Míchel’s team next Saturday at the Bernabéu, whom they could distance by seven. But everything blew up when Llorente caught a ball as poorly defended as Brahim’s goal in the red and white area in stoppage time. The match closed with a trilogy of goal-laden derbies in which the two teams ended up relatively satisfied, with the whites winning the Super Cup, after beating Simeone’s team (5-3) and Atlético in the Cup semi-finals with the path clear of whites, by beating them (4-2) and without azulgranas. The goals of Brahim and Llorente sealed the tie in a league episode full of controversy, since Raúl Cabañero, Sánchez Martínez’s assistant, annulled a goal by Savic when the referee was already running to the center of the field, and the whites complained angrily about a Possible penalty to Bellingham.
The game began playing before the opening whistle. Ancelotti opted for Carvajal as a center back, losing aerial play and gaining outlets. But the news broke during the warm-up. Vinicius and Rodrygo were announced at the top, but Joselu began to warm up to the general surprise. Vinicius noticed some discomfort in his neck and it was assumed that the striker would be his replacement, until Brahim appeared when he jumped onto the field., more similar to the Brazilian due to its electricity and its arrival in space. In addition, Carletto gave the left to Rodrygo and the right to Brahim, to play with a changed leg, with Bellingham in the central lane as a false 9. Simeone took cover with his classic 5-3-2, but sharpened the wings with two offensive wingers like Llorente, who went to Vinicius and Riquelme. Something that he compensated with an eminently defensive trivote, with Saúl and De Paul guarding Koke’s back.
Madrid shot three times in the first five minutes (Bellingham, Brahim and Camavinga) finishing each arrival to cover behind. Atlético’s first opportunity, a shot by Morata in the 7th minute, coincided with the appearance of Griezmann. The game was no stranger to anyone, neither to a Madrid dominating with the ball nor to a crouching Atlético. As the minutes passed, the colchoneros began to build up the derby, widening the field and hanging balls to take advantage of Madrid’s aerial weakness.
Goal from Brahim and another disallowed for Savic
And then In an apparently innocent play, Atlético sank into their area and cleared twice without force, favoring the rebounds for the whites. Brahim found the ball and calmly opened the scoring in the 20th minute. The tie could have come in some center in which Lunin was not strong, and the finishing touch of Ancelotti’s team in the face of the indolence of an Atlético that was more positional than aggressive. Halftime was reached with Madrid accumulating arrivals while Simeone’s men saw them coming. The derby came alive, but Cholo needed to give it a turn on the board because the Metropolitan team barely added two shots, both from above, from Savic and Saúl. Equipment disconnection symptom.
The final chapter of the trilogy saved a lot of strategy for the second part. Carletto had Joselu, the man who is unraveling the games by accumulating the rival defenses and giving space to his teammates. Simeone had gunpowder on the bench: Barrios, Lino, Memphis… Atlético came out more determined and in the first red-and-white corner Griezmann took a tight shot that Savic finished off in the small area. Atlético celebrated the goal, which Sánchez Martínez conceded, but his assistant did not run to the center, interpreting that Saúl, who was offside, hindered Lunin. Seconds later Lucas Vázquez asked for a penalty in the visiting area that the referee ignored. like the one that the Bernabéu requested in the 60th minute from Savic against Bellingham.
Unanimity on the benches: refereeing disaster
Simeone put his entire arsenal on the field with Barrios, Memphis, Lino and Correa while Sánchez Martínez managed to generate consensus on both benches and in a crowd that chanted the classic “Corruption, in the Federation!” The derby had no owner and Ancelotti and Simeone were screaming on the sidelines, reorganizing their people. The colchoneros died with everything playing in the rival field and with the ball at their feet while Carletto helped Joselu to avoid the rival’s high pressure. He came on as the striker for Brahim who came out applauded after scoring the second goal in a brilliant personal move.
In the final stretch Lunin made a stop that justified his ownership after a backheel from Griezmann who was on his way to the net when it crossed the Ukrainian’s leg. Madrid was already doing its math and clinging to the League when a cross into the white area was not cleared and Llorente, coming in from behind, headed it into the net, penalizing the doubts of the white defense. Draw in a derby with more controversy than football.
