Home Partnership Atletico 3-1 Real Madrid: Morata brace drop Los Blancos out of top place

Atletico 3-1 Real Madrid: Morata brace drop Los Blancos out of top place

Atletico 3-1 Real Madrid: Alvaro Morata put two against his former club in the anticipated Madrid derby that saw Los Blancos out of La Liga 2023/24’s standings’ top place.

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Atletico 3-1 Real Madrid – Highlights

Carlo Ancelotti’s side ended their 100% start to the La Liga season with a convincing victory from the city rivals, Atleti.

Former star Morata scored the opener inside four minutes after he successfully converted Samuel Lino’s cross.

Antoine Griezmann doubled the lead for Los Colchoneros with a header before Toni Kroos took one back with a fine low strike, which was the midfielder’s signature.

Italian tactician Ancelotti tried to shape things up for his side and changed things shortly after, introducing fresh legs and reverting to his preferred 4-4-2 formation to get back into the game.

The visitors thought they had the usual comeback, as Aurelien Tchouameni and Rodrygo fired narrowly wide while Joselu created problems in the box.

However, Morata sealed Atletico’s victory when he rose highest to meet Saul Niguez’s ball after the break.

Victory moved Atletico up to fifth in the table, while Real are third – behind leaders Barcelona and Girona – after dropping points for the first time this season.

Atletico had only won one of their 14 La Liga Madrid derbies before this match but stunned their bitter rivals with two goals in the opening 18 minutes and then defended resolutely after that.

England midfielder Jude Bellingham, inspired since joining  Real in the summer, cut a frustrated figure throughout, culminating in a yellow card for a poor challenge on Angel Correa in stoppage time.

The 20-year-old scored six goals in his first six appearances for the club in all competitions, but this result means he tastes defeat for the first time as a Real Madrid player.

A deserved win for Atletico

The host was more brilliant and ruthless than Real, who had a stormy night at the office.

David Alaba was at fault, to be fair, for all three conceded goals with three near-identical headers against their cross-city rivals to drop their first La Liga points of the season.

But Los Blancos were poor with Ance’s tactics going all wrong from the first minute. Madrid might now feel the need for a central striker after they instead opted for five midfielders and Rodrygo, and it was a total disaster.

A poor show by the defense cost Real Madrid the top place in the Spanish top flight.