Rodrygo and Federico Valverde scored on Sunday to earn Real Madrid a 2-1 win over neighbors Atletico Madrid in a heated derby to return to the top of La Liga.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side have started their title defense in perfect fashion, with a 100 percent record from six games. The victory took Real two points above Barcelona, who had leapfrogged into first place on Saturday.
The game was marred by racist chants aimed at Real Madrid’s Brazilian forward Vinicius Jr outside the stadium before the game, sparked by criticism of his dancing goal celebrations and a subsequent debate over whether that criticism was racist.
Photo: Reuters
Fans also threw objects at Vinicius Jr after a Real goal and aimed racist chants at him in the closing stages.
After another Brazilian, Rodrygo, broke the deadlock in the 18th minute, he danced in celebration with Vinicius Jr, to the chagrin of Atletico’s enraged supporters. Some threw objects, including lighters, at the duo.
“Derbies are always important, but today was a bit different for what happened during the week,” Rodrygo said. “We responded on the pitch, and I only talk for myself. I am very happy to play well and to score another goal.”
Real Madrid were missing the injured Karim Benzema, while the hosts picked Antoine Griezmann in the starting lineup for the first time this season and they were on top in the opening stages.
Spurred on by the rowdy atmosphere, Diego Simeone’s side pressed high up the pitch and put Los Blancos on the back foot, with Felipe heading over and Dani Carvajal deflecting a Yannick Carrasco shot into the side-netting.
Geoffrey Kondogbia launched an effort at goal which narrowly missed, but with Atletico dominant, Real Madrid landed a sucker punch.
Aurelien Tchouameni scooped a delightful pass over the defense and Rodrygo smartly dispatched it past Jan Oblak.
Atletico tried to fight back, with a fierce drive from Griezmann flying past the post and Thibault Courtois denying Carrasco, before Real Madrid struck another killer blow.
Vinicius Jr, persistently whistled by Atletico fans, combined with Luka Modric before hitting the post and Valverde followed up to slam into the net from close range after 36 minutes.
The Uruguayan has four goals and two assists in seven games across all competitions, cementing himself as an essential presence on the right flank for Ancelotti.
“[Valverde] and Rodrygo are very special players, because they are what the modern footballer has to be,” Ancelotti said. “They can play in various positions, they have something that stands out, technique, physique, we are delighted with them.”
Real Madrid have now won all nine matches they have played this season across all competitions.
They took the sting out of the game in the second half by trying to keep the ball.
Mario Hermoso pulled a goal back when Courtois flailed at a corner and the defender finished with his shoulder into the empty net in the 83rd minute, but Atletico could not complete an unlikely comeback.
“This Real Madrid reminds me of the team that we had with Diego Costa,” Simeone said. “When there is that forcefulness, football is marvelous.”
Further racist chanting was aimed at Vinicius Jr from some of the home fans and Hermoso was sent off in stoppage-time after earning a second yellow card for battling with Dani Ceballos at a corner.
It was a dismal end to a dismal night for Atletico Madrid, both on and, shamefully, off the pitch.
Elsewhere, Getafe won 2-0 at CA Osasuna, Real Betis Balompie defeated Girona 2-1, Real Sociedad downed RCD Espanyol by the same score, and Villarreal and Sevilla drew 1-1.
Additional reporting by staff writer
BASEBALL LEGEND: Sadaharu Oh, who flew against his doctor’s advice to throw the first pitch at the Taipei Dome, said he had high expectations for baseball in Taiwan Taiwan yesterday defeated South Korea 4-0 in the opening game of the Asian Baseball Championship in front of a crowd of more than 16,000 at the newly opened Taipei Dome. The team was led by a starting pitcher Hsu Ruo-hsi, who in a dominant performance recroded 10 strikeouts and allowed only two hits in seven scoreless innings on the mound. Eighteen-year-old Sun I-lei came to close out the final two innings, ensuring that Taiwan hung on to their four-run lead, after scoring three runs in the third inning and another in the fourth. The eight-day championship is to take place
NIGHT OF FIRSTS: In the first official game at the Tapei Dome on Sunday, not only did Taiwan notch a win over South Korea, they also recorded the stadium’s first hit and RBI The Philippines yesterday dominated Thailand 14-4 at the Taipei Dome in the opening game of Group B on the second day of the Asian Baseball Championship, while Palestine pipped Hong Kong 3-1 in Taichung in Group A. World No. 35 the Philippines put themselves on the board early, racking up two runs in the first inning, followed by two in the third, one each in the fourth and fifth, and three in the sixth. Thailand, ranked 43rd in the world, did not get on the board until the top of the seventh inning, when they tried to stage a comeback, putting up
TROUNCED: Taiwan beat Palestine in six innnings on day three of the Asia Baseball Championship, while it took just five innings for Japan to defeat Thailand Taiwan yesterday beat Palestine 19-0 at the Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium on the third day of the Asian Baseball Championship. The Group A game was over in six innings after a 6:03pm start. Taiwan went on the offensive from the first inning, scoring three runs, but the real damage was done in the third inning, when they scored seven. The Palestine players are all studying or working in the US. In another duel between two unevenly matched teams, Japan thrashed Thailand 16-0 in their late Group B game at the Taipei Dome. They won in five innings thanks to the mercy rule, which states
NATIONS LEAGUE: England crushed Scotland 6-0, but their Olympic hopes were ruined when the Netherlands beat them on goal difference with a 4-0 win against Belgium Germany and the Netherlands on Tuesday booked their places at the UEFA Women’s Nations League finals , where they are also to fight for spots at next year’s Paris Games, but there was heartbreak for England whose hopes of competing in the Olympics were dashed, despite beating Scotland 6-0. Germany drew 0-0 in Wales, but secured their passage thanks to Iceland’s 1-0 win over Denmark. The Netherlands needed a 95th-minute goal from Damaris Egurrola to see them to a 4-0 win over Belgium which meant they edged England on goal difference in Group A1 after the FIFA Women’s World Cup runners-up hammered
RSS