Atlético Madrid hosted Real Madrid at the Metropolitano Stadium on Sunday, September 20, during the seventh week of the 2026/27 LaLiga season, delivering a fiercely contested encounter that saw pivotal moments unfold in the second half.
The first half ended goalless, with both teams showing intensity but unable to break the deadlock. As the half progressed, Atlético’s Giuliano Simeone earned a free kick in his own half and was involved in a handball incident, while Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé was caught offside just before the break. The referee added three minutes of stoppage time before the teams retreated to the locker rooms for halftime.
Shortly after the interval, Atlético introduced Koke for Marc Pubill, signaling a tactical shift. Early in the second half, Atlético launched an attack with Álex Baena taking a right-footed shot from outside the box, which was expertly saved by Real Madrid’s goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
Turning Point: Penalty and Red Card Change the Game
In the 48th minute, the match took a dramatic turn when Atlético’s Giuliano Simeone was fouled inside the penalty area, resulting in a penalty awarded to the home side. The foul was committed by Real Madrid’s defender Dean Huijsen, who soon after received a yellow card that was upgraded to red following a VAR review. This left Real Madrid down to ten men and facing a crucial penalty situation.
Alejandro Grimaldo stepped up to take the penalty and confidently converted with a left-footed shot to the bottom left corner, putting Atlético Madrid ahead 1-0.
Real Madrid quickly responded with two substitutions in the 53rd minute: Antonio Rüdiger replaced Arda Güler, and Yan Diomande came on for Vinícius Júnior, as they sought to regain control despite being a man down. Shortly before the goal, Denzel Dumfries received a yellow card for a harsh foul, adding to Real Madrid’s disciplinary woes during the match.