Real Madrid 3-2 Atletico Madrid: Los Blancos Move Back To The Top Of The Table

Real Madrid 3-2 Atletico Madrid - Lineups/Statistics
La Liga - Fixtures/Results

Real Madrid beat city rivals Atletico Madrid to move back to the top of the La Liga table on goal difference.

Real knew that a win would put them back on top of the league, while Atletico were chasing a European spot for next season, both teams aware that this was a great chance to achieve these ambitions and cause a huge upset over their rivals.

Real took time to get going in the first half, but Atletico’s goal seemed to spark them into life as they slowly built up the pressure and created better chances. Los Blancos dominated large parts of the second half and always looked comfortable once they were in front.

Real started the game with plenty of pace and passion. Gago made a rare break forward and cracked the ball over the bar inside the third minute, while Atletico were doing their best to deny the hosts space all over the pitch.

Van der Vaart was next to go close. Gago made a good run into the box before the ball was poked behind for a Real corner, Ronaldo taking it quickly as the Dutchman raced into space. VDV fired at the near post, but De Gea watched it go by.

Somewhat against the run of play, it was Atletico who managed to get the first goal in the tenth minute. The ball was nudged across the face of the Real box to Aguero, who knocked it into the path of former Real man Jose Reyes, who curled it beyond Casillas beautifully.

The goal seemed to stun Los Blancos. Players all over the Real team started to give the ball away and ply the ball into empty spaces. Atletico remained compact and organised as the pressure slowly built.

It could have got worse for the home side inside twenty minutes. The resulting ball from a free-kick pinged around before Aguero stabbed it towards goal. Fortunately for the boys in white, Ramos got a knee on it before Alonso was able to clear it from danger.

In form Real striker Gonzalo Higuain should have put his side level when Marcelo crossed a brilliant ball. The striker found himself with a yard of space and hit the ball on the turn, blazing it over the bar when he had time to control.

Real kept going although they were not at their fluent best. Marcelo got down the left wing once again and cut back to van der Vaart. The midfield maestro took a touch and fired at goal, but the ball took a flick on the way through and went inches wide.

Atletico’s game plan was clear: soak up the pressure and hit on the counter attacks. Their resolve was tested with the half time break just around the corner when Ronaldo decided to take on five Atletico players. They all stood off the Portuguese before he fired inches wide from all of twenty five yards.

As Atletico continued to back off, Ronaldo won a free header which he directed straight at Higuain. The striker controlled the ball with players swamping the box. He managed to shift it from the reach of De Gea as a defender flew back to clear off the line. Ronaldo then missed a header from three yards as Atletico kept their lead intact.

The second half started in controversial fashion. Ronaldo broke down the right before playing in Marcelo who went down inside the box. The defender threw his arms up as the referee waved away the penalty cries.

Real started to throw everything they had at their city rivals. It paid off. Alonso turned the ball in at the far post after Albiol headed at goal from the corner. It was just the start to the second half Real would have wanted.

Atletico could have quickly gone back into the lead just before the hour mark, as half-time substitute Jurado laid on a perfect cross for Aguero. The Argentine rose by himself in the Real box but couldn’t get power into his header.

However, the flood gates quickly opened. Xabi Alonso pinged a cross field pass into space as Arbeloa beat the offside trap to race through, cut the ball back and then smash it past De Gea.

It should have been three by this point, when Van der Vaart launched the ball into the box after Granero had been fouled. Higuain drifted into space and glanced his header onto the bar. Ramos followed in quickly but the ball went behind for a goal kick.

He made up for this in no time at all. Thiago nicked the ball away from Granero but played it against his own player. The ball fell to Higuain who raced into the box and knocked it into the corner of the goal for the third.

Atletico were gifted a way back into the game just before the last quarter. For some bizarre reason, Alonso stuck his hand up to divert the ball inside his own area. Forlan stepped up to send Casillas the wrong way as the Bernabeau fell quiet.

The teams exchanged blows as the final minutes ticked away. Ronaldo fired the ball straight into the wall from a free kick, before Jurado then went straight up the other end and curled narrowly over from 30 yards.

Higuain missed a great chance late on to bag himself a brace. He controlled well from a high looping ball before curling it beyond De Gea’s far post. Raul was also inches away from converting a Ronaldo cross as the full time whistle loomed. However, Real managed to hold on and moved back to the top of the table on goal difference.

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