Atletico Madrid 2-1 Real Madrid: Grimaldo 53 pen, David 59; Rudiger 89
Things could not be farther away from the plan for Jose Mourinho and Real Madrid. Atletico Madrid moved above their rivals in La Liga after securing a 2-1 win at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Alejandro Grimaldo and Jonathan David taking full advantage of Dean Huijsen’s sending off.
Madrid were reduced to 10 men when Huijsen was shown a red card for bringing down Giuliano Simeone in the penalty area early in the second half. Grimaldo converted the resulting spot-kick before David doubled Atletico’s lead, leaving Mourinho with a second defeat in his first seven league matches.
Antonio Rudiger headed a late goal for Real but Atletico held on for the most satisfying of victories over their city rivals. The result lifted Diego Simeone’s side a point above Real, while Mourinho’s team remain six points behind leaders Barcelona, who have won all seven of their matches.
The first half was cagey and there was little in the way of opportunities for either side. Atletico gradually became the more threatening team, Giuliano Simeone first firing wide before David Hancko and Lee Kang-in saw efforts blocked as the hosts increased the pressure.
Real’s best moment before the break came in the 40th minute when Arda Guler tested Jan Oblak from distance.
Courtois was called into action on the opposite end soon after the restart, pushing away Alex Baena’s effort from outside the area. Atletico were then handed the breakthrough when Huijsen brought down Simeone, who had run through on goal, inside the box. The defender was shown a red card and Grimaldo converted from the spot.
Real struggled to respond with a man down and Courtois kept his side within reach by saving from Lee. Atletico eventually found a second goal when David met Simeone’s cross and poked the ball past the goalkeeper.
The hosts came close to adding a third. Courtois kept out Romero’s header from a corner with a flying save and Ibrahima Konate then headed away Julian Alvarez’s effort off the line.
Real had a chance when Yan Diomande broke clear on the counter-attack but he fired point blank at Oblak. Rudiger then gave the visitors hope by heading in from Bernardo Silva’s set-piece, but no equaliser was to come.
