Player Ratings: Real Madrid 2

Karim Benzema celebrates opening the scoring for Real Madrid in their derby win. Photograph: quality Sport Images/Getty Images
Karim Benzema celebrates opening the scoring for Real Madrid in their derby win. Photograph: unique Sport Images/Getty Images

In the final minute of the 279th Madrid derby, the fans in the south end of the Santiago Bernabéu began to belt out their version of Bad Moon Rising, the opening bar asking Atlético how they were feeling. High in the opposite corner, where just a hundred away supporters sat in silence, all too aware that they faced a long wait in the cold before they began the walk home, the answer was: pretty flat. Their team had not played badly but an early goal in either half, first from Karim Benzema then from Marco Asensio, was enough to defeat them again. Worse, they knew it was probably enough for the defence of their league title lớn be derailed in December.

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Madrid knew that too, the embraces at the end expressing how big a step this was. Victory leaves them eight points clear of Sevilla at the top, nine above Real Betis, & 13 over Atlético và Real Sociedad. In case you are wondering, it leaves them 18 points above Barcelona, who have other problems to lớn worry about. There is no league for them. The question is whether there is a league for anyone else; although Sevilla và Atlético have a trò chơi in hand, the answer is probably not.

Fourteen days may have finished it. One by one the contenders came và one by one they fell. Sevilla, Athletic, Real Sociedad, even Inter: Madrid beat them all. Here they beat Atlético too on a night when Luka Modric’s name rang round, Thibaut Courtois made his statutory saves & Vinícius Júnior was decisive again, the most dynamic player in La Liga. The Brazilian made both.

The first came early, Atlético’s bright opening over almost as soon as it had begun. Twice Koke gave the ball away and if Madrid still had a long way to lớn go, starting by the halfway line, they also have Benzema & Vinícius who combined to carve open another opponent, a moment all it took.

Asensio released the Brazilian just as Felipe doubted whether to lớn take a step up. By the time he had decided it was too late & Vinícius almost gently lifted the cross towards Benzema – that calmness and precision a portrait of his progression.

Atlético players look dejected after Marco Asensio’s goal. Photograph: Sergio Pérez/ReutersBenzema was the only man in the area in white & there were seven of them in stripes but still he found space, guiding a superb volley into the bottom corner beyond Jan Oblak. He was not fully fit and would have khổng lồ make way at half-time, his work here done.

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Madrid were where they wanted lớn be, Atlético where they have been too many times recently – this was the 11th consecutive derby in which they had failed to win, và they appeared conscious of that in the remainder of the first half. Ten minutes later Koke was invited to shoot, the result offering a reason why, and for a little while not a huge amount else was happening.

An Antoine Griezmann free-kick sharply saved by Courtois lacked the power lớn really trouble before Oblak blocked Vinícius at the near post, the attacker calling for the fans lớn raise the roof.

From Atlético’s perspective something had lớn change. From Madrid’s, it did too but not through choice. Benzema, who had hurried back from injury, was withdrawn at half-time while Diego Simeone sent on João Félix và Thomas Lemar. Within five minutes they had worked an opening, Courtois stopping Félix’s shot. The Portuguese then filtered a neat pass khổng lồ Mateus Cunha, dashing towards the six-yard box. This effort was more difficult to khuyến mãi with but Courtois saved again, another one for the collection.

Next Félix almost released Cunha with a clever volley across the pitch & then he supplied Lemar just inside the area, but a moment’s indecision was sufficient for the clear shooting opportunity that opened before him to close again. This was different, or so it seemed; instead, it proved to be the same. Atlético had started well, pushing Madrid into their own area, only lớn be caught once more. A long ball was laid off by Luka Jovic for Vinícius & he found Asensio lớn sweep into the net.

There was still over half an hour lớn go and chances too. Mario Hermoso headed over, Luis Suárez just failed khổng lồ reach from close range và Courtois twice saved from Lemar. But any real belief had drained from them with the second goal, Madrid were able khổng lồ manage those moments, & Atlético increasingly sensed that they just were not going to lớn score. And when Courtois saved a thumping, close-range Félix volley with his face in the last minute, it was done. That had hurt but he was feeling fine, thanks for asking, his fists clenched in celebration at the final whistle.