Atletico Madrid Beat 10-Man Real Madrid 2-1

Follow Nukunya

Get the latest breaking news and updates from Nukunya.

MADRID, September 20, 2026 — Atlético Madrid defeated 10-man Real Madrid 2-1 in a fiercely contested Madrid derby on Sunday, moving to second place in LaLiga after a dramatic second half at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano.

The result gave Atlético 16 points from their opening matches and moved them one point ahead of Real Madrid, with Barcelona remaining above them in the early-season standings.

The derby was decided by two goals in the space of six minutes after Real Madrid were reduced to 10 men, although Antonio Rüdiger’s late header ensured a tense finish.

Alejandro Grimaldo opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 53rd minute before Jonathan David doubled Atlético’s advantage shortly afterwards.

Real Madrid responded late through Rüdiger but could not find an equaliser as Atlético held on for a significant victory in front of a packed home crowd.

Huijsen red card changes the game

The key moment came early in the second half when Real Madrid defender Dean Huijsen was sent off after pulling down Giuliano Simeone.

The dismissal left Real Madrid playing with 10 men at a crucial stage of the match and gave Atlético greater control of the contest.

The hosts quickly capitalised.

Grimaldo stepped up to take the resulting penalty and sent the ball beyond Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to put Atlético ahead.

Just six minutes later, Jonathan David struck again for the home side.

The Canadian forward reacted quickly inside the penalty area to finish from close range and give Atlético a two-goal cushion.

The two goals transformed a closely fought derby into a difficult recovery mission for Real Madrid.

Real Madrid fight back

Despite being a player down, Real Madrid continued to search for a way back into the match.

Their persistence eventually paid off in the 89th minute when Rüdiger rose to head the ball into the net.

The goal created a nervous finish for Atlético, with Real Madrid pushing forward in search of an equaliser.

Atlético, however, managed the closing stages and protected their advantage to secure all three points.

The result also ended Real Madrid’s hopes of taking points from a derby in which they had spent much of the second half at a numerical disadvantage.

VAR controversy adds to derby drama

The match also featured several contentious refereeing moments.

VAR intervened over a booking involving Jude Bellingham and Cristian Romero, while another incident involving Real Madrid’s Lee Kang-in generated further debate over whether a red card should have been shown.

Such incidents added to an already intense atmosphere inside the Metropolitano.

The derby had been closely contested before Huijsen’s dismissal, but the numerical advantage ultimately allowed Atlético to take control.

Atlético climb into second

The victory represents an important early-season result for Atlético, who moved to 16 points and into second place.

Real Madrid dropped to one point behind their city rivals, while Barcelona remained at the top of the table.

With the campaign still in its early stages, the standings remain tightly packed, but Atlético’s derby victory gives Diego Simeone’s side an important result against one of their principal domestic rivals.

For Real Madrid, the defeat represents a setback after a positive start to the season.

The team had entered the derby following a dramatic 3-2 victory over Elche earlier in the week, when substitute Carlos Espi scored a stoppage-time winner.

Real Madrid had also opened their Champions League campaign with a 2-1 victory over Inter Milan earlier this month, making Sunday’s derby defeat their latest test in a demanding opening period.

Jonathan David makes his mark

Jonathan David’s goal will provide another positive for Atlético.

The forward’s close-range finish came at a crucial point in the match and gave the hosts the breathing room they needed after taking the lead from the penalty spot.

Grimaldo’s penalty was equally important, converting Atlético’s opportunity just minutes after Real Madrid had been reduced to 10 players.

Together, the goals gave Atlético the platform to withstand Real Madrid’s late pressure.

What the result means

Atlético Madrid now move into the international-break period with momentum from one of the biggest fixtures of the Spanish football calendar.

The victory also highlights how quickly the balance of a derby can change. Real Madrid had competed strongly before Huijsen’s dismissal, but playing with 10 men made it considerably harder for the visitors to contain Atlético’s attacking pressure.

For Real Madrid, the focus will now turn to recovering from the defeat and preparing for the next stage of the season.

With Barcelona, Atlético and Real Madrid separated by a relatively small number of points at this stage, the early LaLiga table remains open.

Sunday’s derby nevertheless belongs to Atlético.

Two second-half goals, a red card and a late Real Madrid response produced another dramatic chapter in one of Spanish football’s most closely watched rivalries.