Here is that report from the Santiago Bernabéu – and with that I bid you goodnight!
Sid Lowe’s report will drop in here shortly, but I will wrap up and say thanks very much for joining this live blog. It was certainly an evening full of drama and controversy – as we’ve come to expect from high-profile La Liga grudge matches!
If Real Madrid play like they did in the second half tonight when they visit the Etihad on Tuesday, you fear for Manchester City – especially given the current form of Pep Guardiola’s side.
Conversely, it took Real a good while to get going tonight, they looked vulnerable to the counterattack, and Carlo Ancelotti was in an agitated mood for much of the evening. Is the pressure telling on the veteran manager?
Former City star Julian Alvarez got the player of the match award this evening.
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How it stands after full-time:
Real Madrid – 50 points from 23 games
Atletico – 49 points from 23 games
Barcelona – 45 points from 22 games
FT: Real Madrid 1-1 Atlético Madrid
It’s all over and it’s as you were at the top of La Liga.
Real Madrid will feel aggrieved, they probably did enough to stretch their lead to four points, but a controversial penalty and a stubborn Atleti defence was enough to earn a point.
The second half saw an improved Real display and a goal from the in-form Kylian Mbappé but Los Blancos couldn’t unearth the key second breakthrough. Advantage Barcelona?
90 mins + 2: Courtois this time makes a vital save – although Correa was flagged offside after being played through. It was nearly the perfect sucker punch from the visitors.
Not long left now.
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Stoppage time: Just three minutes have been added on. Can Atletico hold out for a very useful point here?
If they do, they’ll have Jan Oblak to thank.
90 mins: Mbappe, Bellingham and Vinicius are all just hovering up front now, like three hungry lions waiting patiently for their prey. Will one of them get a chance to pounce?
Mbappe is slipped through but Oblak narrows the angle quickly and there’s no time and no way through.
88 mins: Brahim Diaz for Rodrygo is another Real sub. Time is running out for Ancelotti’s side if they want that four-point cushion at La Liga’s summit.
86 mins: Modric has already been dictating Real’s play from the pivot position, probing for that vital opening. Garcia is penalised for a soft foul in a key area to alleviate some pressure on Atleti.
84 mins: What price a Jude Bellingham late winner here? It’s that kind of territory now. The next goal will surely win it and Real have an army of potential matchwinners on the field.
82 mins: Inches wide from Rodrygo! It was brilliantly set up by Vinicius, who exhibited his trademark fancy footwork on the left.
81 mins: No, the changes are going to be in midfield, with Luka Modric and Eduardo Camavinga coming on, replacing Ceballos and Vázquez. It’s Camavinga’s first league appearance since 3 January.
Alexander Sørloth is on for Alvarez in Atleti’s final sub.
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79 mins: Will Ancelotti make a change or is he satisfied with the players out there on the pitch? Could Brahim Diaz or Endrick make a difference?
78 mins: Angel Correa has replaced De Paul for Simeone’s side. A slightly attacking move? The visitors certainly haven’t given up trying to win this – and they’re getting the odd chance on the break.
75 mins: A great run darting down the right by Alvarez has Real worried for a second. The Argentinian is Atletico’s biggest threat on the counter. Oblak is their main form of defence at the other end.
74 mins: The Real Madrid crowd are showing their appreciation for academy products Asencio and Fran Garcia. Both have been impressive.
Oblak saves again, from Rodrygo’s free-kick, but the flag is up for a foul this time.
72 mins: It’s rinse and repeat from Oblak on the other side now, parrying Vinicius’ near-post shot up and away. The Atletico goalkeeper is a one-man wall at this stage.
71 mins: Oblak saves once again, this time from Rodrygo who tried to catch him out at the near post, sniping an effort goalwards.
70 mins: It’s another tame shot from a Real Madrid player, as Mbappe scuffs a left-footed effort on target, but at a snail’s pace, and Oblak collects.
At the other end, Tchouameni steps in to cut out Llorente’s cutback.
69 min: Fran Garcia is having a terrific game at left-back for Real. He was picked ahead of Ferland Mendy for this one and is totally justifying his selection.
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68 mins: Bellingham is making Real tick, dropping into the pockets and linking play, before making dangerous runs into the box to get on the end of crosses. He’s got the lot.
Tchouameni meets a corner head-on but Oblak doesn’t have to move to save it.
67 mins: You cannot take your eyes off this game now. Surely it won’t stay 1-1.
65 mins: Delightful play from Bellingham to dance away from defenders and lob it over looking for Mbappe … eventually it came for Ceballos, whose shot was blocked. Atleti then tried to counter at the other end, but Molina fired over.
Triple substitution for Atletico: Molina, Koke and Reinildo replace Simeone, Galan and Lino. Is this a change of system for Los Rojiblancos? Back to 4-4-2?
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62 mins: I’ve just seen another live blog refer to Bellingham as a “former Birmingham City midfielder”. Sometimes that’s hard to fathom – given he’s now basically a striker/No 10 for the biggest club in the world. What a journey.
61 mins: Big chance for Giuliano Simeone but he slips at the vital moment, trying to stretch to reach the knockdown from Alvarez. Suddenly it opened up for Atletico but the chance disappeared as quickly as it arrived.
There’s so much space on the pitch now.
58 mins: A penny for Simeone’s thoughts now? He’s wearing a deeply concerned look with a frown as dark as his suit.
57 min: It’s bouncing now inside the stadium as Oblak saves from another Bellingham header. That was neatly worked, Vinicius finding Vázquez on the overlap, who crossed for Bellingham – the header was just too close to the keeper.
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55 mins: Atleti need a period of calm now, you’d think – not that Simeone teams tend to remain calm for long. They’re storming forward again and have won a corner, which Alvarez will swing in from the right …
After the initial clearance Griezmann skies a shot well over.
53 mins: Mbappé’s goal was a real striker’s finish, the type to justify him playing as the No 9 in this Real team.
Bellingham looks to be playing higher up in this second half mind you, almost as a second striker alongside the Frenchman.
Off the bar! Real Madrid smell blood here and they’re pushing hard for another goal. That was Bellingham this time, stealing in at the near post and heading onto the crossbar.
GOAL! Real Madrid 1-1 Atletico Madrid (Mbappé, 50)
Kylian Mbappé fires home and Real are level!
Rodrygo was the creator down the right and sought Bellingham with his pull-back. The England international’s effort was blocked but only as far as Mbappé – who swept it home. Cue roars from the Bernabéu crowd.
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50 mins: Galan is booked for tugging back Rodrygo’s shirt. I suspect we may see a few Atletico bookings in this second half.
47 mins: There’s nothing surprising about the pattern this game has settled straight back into: Real probing and prowling, trying to pin Atletico back; the visitors holding the fort and waiting for the odd chance to counter.
Mbappé tries to batter his way through bodies, but is superbly marshalled by the Atleti defenders.
Second half: Right let’s see if Real can make amends in the next 45 minutes. Or are Atletico about to go top of La Liga?
The home side get us back under way.
Another email on the penalty, this time from Christopher Burke:
I can think of some perplexing decisions by VAR in the past seven years (oh God has it already been that long?) but in terms of taking absolutely nothing and turning it into Something, I think that penalty decision is the worst I’ve ever seen.
This is quite the stat.
The 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 penalty 𝑨𝑮𝑨𝑰𝑵𝑺𝑻 Real Madrid in La Liga this season 📺⚽️ pic.twitter.com/xz3ZwrT6ip
— 433 (@433) February 8, 2025
An email from Tim Stappard has dropped:
A pen that ridiculously soft at home against Real! Heavens above they’ll be sending letters to the Spanish FA before we know it.
…
Half time: Real Madrid 0-1 Atletico.
The half finished with a booking for Clement Lenglet and a Fede Valverde free-kick that was blasted straight into the wall.
Well, well, well. A controversial penalty, converted by Julian Alvarez, is the difference after 45 minutes of a tense and tetchy Madrid derby. Real haven’t been at the races in truth, but they can still feel aggrieved by the goal that separates the sides. You feel there’s more drama to come in the second half at the Bernabéu.
I’ll get to one or two of your emails and messages during the break.
Stoppage time: We’re into four minutes added onto this first half.
Atletico Madrid hold a precious lead which, as it stands, would send them top of La Liga.
44 mins: Ironically, the referee has let a lot of marginal fouls go unpunished tonight. Apart from the penalty, of course.
Galan ghosts forward and shoots on his right foot, but it’s curled over the bar by a distance.
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43 mins: Bellingham shoots into a crowd of bodies, with Real piling on the pressure at the end of the half … again, however, they conceded a counterattacking opportunity, with Lino tackled in the box following a lung-busting run.
It’s end to end now!
41 mins: Real are defending with five or six every time they lose possession – so many attackers are stuck ahead of the ball. That’s giving plenty of heart to Atleti to surge forward in the hope of nicking a second.
39 mins: Can Real respond before the break?
Atletico speed forward on the counter but De Paul takes a very heavy touch to allow Asencio the chance to wallop it clear.
38 mins: In English football, talk of refereeing decisions and standards dominates the media agenda week after week. It’s no different in Spain of course, but you cannot think that penalty would have been given in the Premier League.
Real Madrid’s protestations continue, largely through the ever-vocal Jude Bellingham, but the fact is they now trail 1-0 in a must-not-lose Madrid derby.
Atletico have done very little in terms of attacking in this game, but they have something to cling onto now. Diego Simeone will be delighted.
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GOAL! Real Madrid 0-1 Atletico (Alvarez pen, 35)
Julian Alvarez makes no mistake from 12 yards. A cute dinked effort down the middle beats Courtois!
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PENALTY! Goodness me, that’s an enormous call. It looked very, very soft, minimal contact from the Frenchman following through (very slightly) on Lino.
This is a huge chance for Atleti to lead.
33 mins: Oh, hang on. Referee César Soto Grado is going over to the VAR screen for a possible penalty. It was the challenge from Tchouameni on Lino. It seemed really innocuous in real time …
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31 mins: It’s been a game of potshots from 20 yards or more so far. Given the quality of both goalkeepers, surely it’s a tactic that’s unlikely to succeed.
There’s a delay here with Lino down injured, clutching his right foot.
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30 mins: Ceballos has been booked – the first yellow of the game – for dissent following a foul on Giuliano Simeone.
28 mins: A couple of nice flicks from Rodrygo and then Vázquez bring about a potshot from Ceballos, which was never going to trouble Oblak. Very speculative and well wide.
Galan then clears at the last as Mbappé bears down on goal.
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27 mins: Ceballos and Bellingham have been really tidy in the Real midfield so far. The hosts just need more bite up front. Pass, pass, pass …
24 mins: Great interplay between Mbappé and Vinicius gets Real cooking down their right – before red and white shirts ferry back to hold them up. Simeone continues to move his chess pieces around, hoping to frustrate the old enemy. He’ll be happy enough.
23 mins: Atletico’s early counterattacking threat has fizzled out and they’re looking rather blunt now.
21 mins: Great play from Ceballos to glide through defenders nearly sets up Mbappé in the box. Corner to the home side – who are threatening a little more now.
20 mins: The interchanging of the Real forwards’ positions continues, with Bellingham drifting around and Vinicius trying to come central. It’s not fooling Atletico at the moment.
Vini has been struggling to get into the game but suddenly finds a yard and unleashes a drilled left-footed shot – which is wide.
18 mins: No disrespect to him, but you cannot help feel Vázquez is the weak-link in this Real Madrid lineup, especially playing as a makeshift full-back. You can see why they’re targeting Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Rodrygo tries his luck from miles out and it’s way over the crossbar.
16 mins: Again no inch is given by Bellingham – he’s hurling himself into tackles to try and win it back high up the pitch for Madrid. Atletico are struggling to get out of their own half.
Can Real break down Simeone’s stubborn, structured side?
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13 mins: With Lino playing as a left wing-back, it’s basically a 5-3-2 from Atletico tonight.
It is the Brazilian who arrows a right-footed effort just wide of goal. That’s the first proper shot of the game.
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12 mins: Bellingham unleashes a volley of Brummie-accented English abuse towards the assistant referee when a throw-in call goes against him and Real. That felt a little jarring to listen to on the effects mic.
10 mins: Mbappé is dropping into the No 10 position in search of some touches of the ball, trying to dictate play for the home side.
Alvarez’s attempt to bring it away for Atleti is rapidly snuffed out and Real are back on the attack again.
8 mins: Rodrygo wriggles away from trouble on the Real right and believes he should have earned a corner. Galan got back at him … but I think a goal-kick was the right call actually.
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7 mins: Atletico aren’t struggling to play through Real, as it stands. They’re playing some penetrative passes into the channels, with Lino and Simeone getting into good areas.
The England boss Thomas Tuchel is in the ground watching tonight, by the way.
5 mins: Oh that’s a massive missed opportunity for Atleti. Lino finds himself in acres of space after an error on the ball from Lucas Vázquez and it’s a really simple ball for Griezmann – who would have been in on goal – but Lino got it wrong.
A let-off for Real.
3 mins: That’s a hefty challenge from Bellingham on Marcos Llorente. It’s just a free-kick, but it was very forceful and a little high.
2 mins: It’s no surprise to see Atletico go long from kickoff and then sit deep in their usual 4-4-2 shape when they cede possession. Real are seeing lot of the ball early on.
Simeone is then sent down the visitors’ right, with Asencio tackling him.
KICK OFF
Here we go – belatedly. A wall of noise greets the start of the game, with Atletico kicking off.
Only 600 Atletico fans are in the stadium tonight. They’re going to have to make themselves heard.
Kylian Mbappé collects his La Liga player of the month award before kickoff. The Frenchman is starting to hit his stride for Real, which should be a worry for all their rivals.
Marcelo, recently retired, is also paraded in front of the fans – there’s a rapturous reception for him!
Sooner or later, this thing will kick off.
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The Bernabéu is awash with colour and noise and we’re just about ready for one of world football’s greatest derbies. Cannot wait.
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Real Madrid’s form has been generally good of late, but it’s easy to forget they actually lost their last La Liga game, 1-0 at Espanyol, which was a real stinker of a performance. They were thrashed by Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia but haven’t lost at home since 5 November. Atletico have lost just one away game since 27 October.
Will something give tonight? Where’s your money?
Elsewhere in La Liga Athletic Club de Bilbao continued their hot-streak with a commanding 3-0 home win over fellow top four hopefuls Girona today, while Celta Vigo beat Real Betis 3-2 in a mid-table clash – despite a goal from on-loan Manchester United man Antony. Villarreal boosted their European hopes with a 2-1 win at Las Palmas.
You wonder whether Pep Guardiola and Manchester City will be watching on tonight, given they welcome Real Madrid to the Etihad on Tuesday night for the first leg of their marquee Champions League playoff tie.
Guardiola complained recently that the English football authorities don’t give their clubs a helping hand re fixture schedules, but La Liga have hardly been overly kind to Real, handing them a Saturday night derby before a Tuesday in east Manchester. Such is the way with modern football.
What a welcome! This game is a seriously big deal in the Spanish capital.
🚌🙌🧣 ¡Menudo recibimiento! pic.twitter.com/E72JrXb9HB
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) February 8, 2025
This is by no means the only live football game on this evening. Get your eyes around the others.
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Real Madrid might have their fair share of defensive injuries – Antonio Rudiger, Eder Militao and Dani Carvajal remain out while David Alaba is still working his way back – but that’s a heck of a squad in terms of depth elsewhere. Camavinga is only deemed ready enough for the bench, with the Tchouaméni-Asencio partnership in central defence the only obvious flaw.
Conor Gallagher doesn’t make the start for Atletico, who will be looking to the in-form Giuliano Simeone – son of head coach Diego, of course – to make an impact from the start. And there’s always super sub Alexander Sørloth to come off the bench and score a goal.
Team news
Real Madrid (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Vázquez, Tchouaméni, Asencio, F.Garcia; Valverde, Ceballos; Rodrygo, Bellingham, Vinicius Jr; Mbappé.
Subs: Lunin, Camavinga, Modric, Guler, Endrick, Vallejo, Brahim, Mendy, G.Garcia, Ramon, Mestre, Aguado.
Atlético Madrid (4-4-2): Oblak; Llorente, Giménez, Lenglet, Galán; Simeone, De Paul, Barrios, Lino; Griezmann, Alvarez.
Subs: Musso, Azpilicueta, Gallagher, Koke, Sørloth, Correa, Lemar, Molina, Riquelme, Witsel, Reinildo, Kostis.
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Preamble
A Madrid derby is always big – but this feels especially big in the context of the current La Liga standings. The Santiago Bernabéu is going to be absolutely rocking, with the Madridistas knowing a draw or a win would keep their side top of the pile. Barcelona would smell a chance if it does end level; they visit Sevilla tomorrow.
Atlético have only lost twice in 22 league games this season, conceding just 14 goals and you just know Diego Simeone will relish the opportunity to topple Real and go top in one fell swoop.
Real will likely be boosted by the return of superstars Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappé, as well as Lucas Vazquez, and Eduardo Camavinga. The quartet all missed the 3-2 Copa Del Rey win at Leganes in midweek. The visitors will be without defender Robin Le Normand through suspension.
This should be a cracker. Let’s get going. Kickoff is at 9pm local time (8pm GMT).
