Atlético 1-1 Real Madrid (Sep 29, 2024) Game Analysis

Atlético Madrid’s Ángel Correa bundled home an equaliser deep into added time against Real Madrid to snatch a 1-1 draw on Sunday in a LaLiga derby that was suspended for just over 20 minutes after the home fans hurled objects onto the pitch.

The game was stopped in the 69th minute, five minutes after defender Éder Militão scored the opener for the visitors, as Atlético ultras Fondo Sur threw objects towards Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who alerted the referee.

After a delay of over 20 minutes the players returned to the pitch and Atlético piled on the pressure before levelling the scores when substitute Correa forced the ball home from close range after a counter-attack in the fifth minute of added time.

Real are second in the standings on 18 points, three behind Barcelona and two ahead of Atlético in third after eight games.

“These are matches with a lot of tension, a lot of intensity,” Atlético captain Koke told DAZN regarding the objects being thrown onto the field. “It was a very tense moment. This can’t happen on a football pitch. We are footballers, professionals, and we have to be intelligent. But four people can’t pay for the rest of the stadium.”

Missing key forward Kylian Mbappé with a leg injury, Real boss Carlo Ancelotti opted to strengthen the midfield by bringing in Luka Modric, who is approaching 40.

The result was a more balanced side that controlled most of the game but failed to turn their dominance into goals.

Real’s biggest issue this season has been moving on from the loss of midfield maestro Toni Kroos, who retired in July after playing at Euro 2024 on home soil with Germany.

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With Modric ageing and Jude Bellingham playing as an attacking midfielder, Uruguayan Federico Valverde stepped up to assume Kroos’s role of playmaker in the centre of the pitch.

Acting like a ball magnet, practically all Real’s dangerous moves came through the feet of Valverde, who distributed the ball to Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo or Bellingham up front or launched long-range right-foot rockets at goal himself.

Valverde almost scored for Real three times in a first half in which the defensive home side had hardly any counter attacks.

Atlético were livelier after the break when manager Diego Simeone brought on Brazilian jet-heeled winger Samuel Lino, who gave them the spark they lacked in the first half.

But just as the hosts looked closer to scoring, Vinícius burst past Rodrigo De Paul on the left wing and crossed to the far post where the unmarked Militão brought the ball down before unleashing an unstoppable half-volley past keeper Jan Oblak.

As dozens of lighters and bottles started flying onto the pitch when Real’s players celebrated the goal, referee Mateo Busquets Ferrer halted the match and ordered the players to go to the dressing rooms as the stadium announcer warned that if the behaviour continued the game would be abandoned.

After the delay the match resumed and Atlético kept up the pressure although Real substitute Endrick almost put the visitors 2-0 ahead with a long-range strike after a counter-attack in the 89th minute that flashed past the post.

Six minutes later though substitute Javi Galán‘s pass pierced the middle of Real’s defence and Correa took the ball in his stride before running past Courtois and tapping into the empty net to salvage a point for Simeone’s side.

Atlético finished the match with 10 men after Marcos Llorente was sent off for a tackle from behind on Fran García.