Cristiano Ronaldo's free-kick was the host's only attempt on target during a lacklustre first-half,France forward Antoine Griezmann broke the deadlock after collecting a return pass from Filipe Luis.
It seems
that £275million doesn’t buy you much these days – at least not at Real
Madrid. One of the most expensively assembled sides in Europe was
whistled by its own supporters as it tamely gave up the Spanish title
with a 1-0 defeat to city neighbours Atletico Madrid.
It
was Zinedine Zidane’s first derby as Real coach but he lost out to
Diego Simeone who has now lost only one of his last seven visits to the
Santiago Bernabeu.Real
Madrid could move 12 points behind Barcelona on Sunday if they beat
Sevilla. They could still save their season by winning the Champions
League but form will have to improve drastically.
They can
take some consolation in the second half performance from 18-year-old
forward Borja Mayoral and the fact that both Gareth Bale and Marcelo
were missing and will massively improve the side when they return. They
were also unfortunate not to be handed a late penalty.
The
start was scrappy. Atletico forced the first chance with a weak shot
from Saul that did not trouble Keylor Navas and Real’s keeper then
struggled to control a Danilo back pass.
But
with the team that had scored the most goals against the team that had
conceded the fewest the game soon settled into a predictable pattern of
Real Madrid attacks and stubborn Atletico defending.
Despite
the pressure, home supporters had to wait until minute 34 before Jan
Oblak was called into action. Diego Godin pulled Karim Benzema’s shirt
and was booked with the Bernabeu baying for a red card because the
Uruguayan was the last defender.
Ronaldo
took the free-kick and forced a save from Oblak with a well-struck
free-kick that travelled too straight to beat the keeper.
It
was the cue for Atletico to creep back into the game. Griezmann forced
Navas into an acrobatic save with a shot from just inside the area. The
Frenchman was starved of support however. Torres can no longer gallop
away from defences – he tends to trot forward these days an Atleico
Madrid’s attacks were pedestrian and predictable.
There
were tame whistles on 45 minutes and when the half-time penalty
competition was introduced on the pitch by a presenter screaming into
his microphone about the emotion of these special derbies supporters
wondered what first half he had seen. At least they were about to see
some goals as the penalties started flying in.
They can
take some consolation in the second half performance from 18-year-old
forward Borja Mayoral and the fact that both Gareth Bale and Marcelo
were missing and will massively improve the side when they return. They
were also unfortunate not to be handed a late penalty.
The
start was scrappy. Atletico forced the first chance with a weak shot
from Saul that did not trouble Keylor Navas and Real’s keeper then
struggled to control a Danilo back pass.
But
with the team that had scored the most goals against the team that had
conceded the fewest the game soon settled into a predictable pattern of
Real Madrid attacks and stubborn Atletico defending.
Despite
the pressure, home supporters had to wait until minute 34 before Jan
Oblak was called into action. Diego Godin pulled Karim Benzema’s shirt
and was booked with the Bernabeu baying for a red card because the
Uruguayan was the last defender.
Ronaldo
took the free-kick and forced a save from Oblak with a well-struck
free-kick that travelled too straight to beat the keeper.
It
was the cue for Atletico to creep back into the game. Griezmann forced
Navas into an acrobatic save with a shot from just inside the area. The
Frenchman was starved of support however. Torres can no longer gallop
away from defences – he tends to trot forward these days an Atleico
Madrid’s attacks were pedestrian and predictable.
There
were tame whistles on 45 minutes and when the half-time penalty
competition was introduced on the pitch by a presenter screaming into
his microphone about the emotion of these special derbies supporters
wondered what first half he had seen. At least they were about to see
some goals as the penalties started flying in.
Real Madrid
Castilla scoring sensation Mayoral warmed up at half time. He has scored
13 goals in 28 games for the B-team and with goals exactly what Real
needed he was introduced at half time.
They
almost scored it within three minutes of the restart. Modric played in
Ronaldo and he flashed a shot just wide of Oblak’s far post. James then
found space on the left touchline but clumsily ran the ball out of play.
He, much like Isco and Kroos seems to have gone backwards since signing
for Real Madrid.
There were some whistles from home supporters and things got worse for them with Atletico’s next attack.Felipe
Luis had time and space down the right and he used it well rolling it
to Griezmann who found the bottom corner with a shot that beat Navas
comfortably. Zidane opened his arms on the touchline as if to say: ‘how
did that happen?’ And the 50 or so away fans went crazy high in the top
corner of the Bernabeu.
The Real
Madrid supporters now had other things on their mind and were calling
for president Florentino Perez to resign. It is ten years since he quit
after his first spell in charge of the club claiming that he had
‘spoiled’ his Galatico signings and had to leave for the good of the
club.
Saul
almost doubled Atletico’s lead but Ronaldo then had the chance to level
for Real only to head straight at Oblak from Dani Carvajal’s cross.
James Rodriguez and Isco were both taken off as Real Madrid tried to
inject some urgency into their comeback.
The
changes did up the home team’s tempo and they should have had a penalty
when Gabi fouled Danilo but the referee told the player to get up and
the Bernabeu was so deflated it hardly protested the decision. Ronaldo
sent another cross shot wide of Oblak's goal but there was no equaliser
for Real Madrid and there is surely no way back into the title race for
them now.
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