Madrid Derby Mayhem: Atletico’s 4-2 Thrashing of Real – Alvarez’s Double Delight Steals the Show!
By Pedro the Pitch Pundit, still buzzing from that Metropolitano madness. Published: September 27, 2025, 5:30 PM IST
¡Ay caramba, Madridistas! It’s September 27, 2025, and the Riyadh Air Metropolitano just erupted like a paella pot on high flame. The Madrid Derby – La Liga’s hottest grudge match – delivered a 4-2 thriller where Atletico Madrid stunned Real Madrid, ending the Blancos’ perfect start with a Simeone special. Julian Alvarez, the Argentine wizard, bagged a brace to torment his old rivals, while Robin Le Normand’s header and Alexander Sorloth’s equalizer set the tone. Real fought back with Kylian Mbappe’s strike and Arda Guler’s magic (goal and assist!), but Atletico’s grit sealed a massive win. From penalty drama to free-kick fireworks, this was less a game, more a soap opera with studs. With Real slipping to 1st but vulnerable, and Atletico climbing to 9th, let’s laugh through the lunacy of this eternal enmity!
The Lineup Laughs: Simeone’s Scrappers vs Alonso’s Artists
Diego Simeone’s Atletico lined up in their classic 4-4-2 fortress: Jan Oblak in goal, Marcos Llorente, Robin Le Normand, Clément Lenglet, David Hancko at the back; Giuliano Simeone, Pablo Barrios, Koke, Nicolás González in midfield; Alexander Sørloth and Julian Alvarez up top. Subs like Antoine Griezmann waited to pounce. Unavailable? José Giménez, Johnny Cardoso, Thiago Almada nursing knocks. Xabi Alonso’s Real? A 4-3-3 dream: Thibaut Courtois; Dani Carvajal, Dean Huijsen, Antonio Rüdiger, Fran García; Federico Valverde, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Eduardo Camavinga; Arda Güler, Kylian Mbappe, Vinícius Júnior. Bench had Luka Modric and Jude Bellingham for late drama. Ref Javier Alberola Rojas whistled the chaos at 3:15 PM CET (6:45 PM IST), with ESPN+ streaming the frenzy.
Atletico (9th pre-match, 6 points) needed this to claw back from a rocky start; Real (1st, 18 points, 6 wins) aimed for seven straight. H2H? Real unbeaten in 12 league visits to the Wanda since 2011 – nine wins, three draws. Last clash? Real 3-1 Atletico. But today? Simeone scripted the upset!
First-Half Frenzy: Headers, Hammers, and Heartbreak
The game kicked off at fever pitch – Atletico pressed like caffeinated chihuahuas, Real countered with silky sprints. At 14′, Le Normand rose like a phoenix for a header off Koke’s cross, putting Atleti 1-0 up – Courtois flapping like a startled pigeon! Real equalized at 22′ with Mbappe’s poacher’s finish after Vinícius’ dazzle, 1-1. But Atletico roared back: At 25′, Sorloth leaped between Huijsen and Carreras for a thunderous header off Koke’s diagonal, 2-1. Real’s Carvajal misplaced a sitter, gifting possession – classic derby daftness!
At 36′, Güler – the teenage Turkish tornado – curled a worldie free-kick into the top corner, 2-2, turning the game on its head. Halftime at 45+3: 2-2, with Atletico edging possession 42.7% to 57.3%, shots 8-3, corners 5-1. Yellows? Giuliano Simeone for a late lunge. Possession? Real dominated, but Atletico’s intensity kept ’em honest.
| Stat | Atletico | Real |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 42.7% | 57.3% |
| Shots | 8 | 3 |
| Shots on Goal | 3 | 2 |
| Corners | 5 | 1 |
| Yellow Cards | 2 | 0 |
Second-Half Shenanigans: Alvarez’s Brace Buries Real
Post-interval, Real pushed, but Atletico’s walls held. At 40′, a Guler foul on Nicolás González earned a spot-kick – Alvarez stepped up, slotted coolly past Courtois, 3-2 Atleti! Simeone sprinted the touchline like a man possessed, hugging Vivas and high-fiving Molina. Real’s Mastantuono’s stoppage-time free-kick sailed over – so close! But at 45+3, Alvarez struck again: a stunning free-kick curled into the top corner, 4-2! ESPN FC went wild: “Alvarez with a world-class free-kick vs Real Madrid!” Atletico held firm, denying Real a late rally.
- Goal Scorers: Le Normand 14′, Sorloth 25′, Alvarez 40′ (pen) & 45+3 (FK) for Atleti; Mbappe 22′, Guler 36′ for Real.
- Man of the Match: Julian Alvarez – brace, including a penalty and free-kick stunner.
- Yellows: Giuliano Simeone, others – derby spice!
The Bigger Brawl: Derby Drama and League Lowdown
This 4-2 upset ends Real’s 6-0 streak, dropping them to… well, still top but vulnerable (18 points? Wait, 6 wins = 18, minus 3 = 15? Logic!). Atletico jumps to 9th (9 points). H2H now tilts – Atletico’s first derby win since 2011? No, but a morale monster. Alvarez, fresh from a hat-trick vs Rayo (3-2 win, September 24), vows “everything to beat Real” – delivered with flair! His €95m summer move from City? Paying dividends, with 4 goals in 6 games.
Recent buzz: Real’s Alonso tinkers post-Barcelona clash; Atletico’s Griezmann subbed in for fresh legs. Off-field? Harbhajan nomination drama, Razzak’s selector resignation – but today, it’s all Alvarez alchemy. La Liga’s top? Real still leads, but Atletico’s grit narrows the gap to 6 points.
In the end, this derby was a riot: headers, hammers, and heartbreak. Atletico’s 4-2 romp? A Simeone symphony. Real’s slip? A wake-up waltz. Who’s next for the headlines? Spill below – let’s derby-debate!
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