Atletico Madrid produced a stunning performance as they defeated Real Madrid 5-2 in a fiery La Liga derby at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano. It was the first time in almost 75 years that Atletico scored five against their city rivals, making this a night to remember for Diego Simeone’s men.
The game started with Atletico on the front foot, and Robin Le Normand opened the scoring with a header in the 14th minute. Real Madrid hit back through Kylian Mbappé, who netted his eighth league goal of the season in the 25th minute, before Arda Güler’s superb strike in the 36th gave Los Blancos the lead.
Just when it looked like Real would head into halftime ahead, Alexander Sørloth equalized deep into stoppage time, making it 2-2 at the break. The second half, however, belonged to Atletico Madrid.
Julián Álvarez converted a penalty in the 51st minute after Arda Güler’s foul inside the box. Twelve minutes later, the Argentine forward curled in a brilliant free-kick that left Thibaut Courtois helpless. The Metropolitano erupted, and Simeone himself was visibly emotional on the sidelines.
Real Madrid pushed forward but failed to create clear chances. Atletico’s defense, led by Ruben Le Normand and Lenglet, stood firm. As the clock ticked into stoppage time, substitute Antoine Griezmann sealed the win with a composed finish to make it 5-2.
This result was historic for Atletico. It was their first five-goal haul against Real since 1950, and it ended Real Madrid’s perfect start to the league campaign. The victory also stretched Atletico’s unbeaten run against their city rivals in La Liga to six matches.
After the match, Simeone admitted he was overwhelmed with emotion, praising the resilience of his squad after a difficult start to the season. On the other side, Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso accepted that his team fell short of their usual standards and must learn from the defeat.
For Atletico, Julián Álvarez was the star of the night with two goals, proving why Simeone considers him the key player in the squad. With Sørloth and Griezmann also on target, Atletico showed that they now have multiple threats in attack.
The win reignites Atletico’s season and cuts the gap at the top of the table. For Real Madrid, it is a harsh reminder that even the strongest start can unravel in the heat of the Madrid derby.
Football fans across the globe will be talking about this game for years to come. Atletico Madrid 5, Real Madrid 2 — a result that changes the dynamics of La Liga 2025.
Hi i’am pradip is a core mumbers of the international Accociation of Movers participating boot camp on unlock global opportuni ties work remotely as an hr professionals with top startups 🌟