Atletico Madrid stopped the perfect start for their neighbor and traditional rivals Real Madrid, when they beat them 3-1 on Sunday, in the capital derby at the "Metropolitano" stadium in the sixth phase of the Spanish football league.
Alvaro Morata (4 and 46) and Frenchman Antoine Griezmann (18) scored Atletico Madrid's goals, and German Toni Kroos (35) scored Real Madrid's goal.
Atletico inflicted the first loss to its neighbor this season after 5 consecutive victories, depriving him of regaining the lead from other traditional rivals Barcelona and the latter's neighbor Girona.
The club's balance froze at 15 points and fell to third place, one point behind Barcelona and Girona, winners of Celta de Vigo 3-2 and Real Mallorca 5-3 on Saturday, respectively.
In turn, Atletico regained its balance after losing humiliating to Valencia 0-3 in the last stage, and achieved its third victory to advance to fifth place with 10 points from 5 games.
The club went into the game without captain Dani Carvajal due to injury, while Brazilian Vinicius Jr. was ruled out at the last minute due to illness after just recovering from a groin injury.
⚽️🔥 Former Real Madrid player Alvaro Morata opens the scoring for Atletico Madrid with an early goal #La Liga | #Atletico_Madrid_Real_Madrid#LaLiga | #ATMRMA pic.twitter.com/D8wm4gKvJr
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) September 24, 2023
Atlético scored through former Royal Club striker Morata with a header from close range following a cross by Brazilian defender Samuel Leno that he settled to the left of Kepa (3), Morata's first goal against his former team in LaLiga.
Griezmann added the second goal with a header from close range after a cross to Saul inhabited to the left of Kepa (18).
⚽️🥅 Griezmann boosts Atletico Madrid's lead with a second goal after 18 minutes#La Liga | #Atletico_Madrid_Real_Madrid#LaLiga | #ATMRMA pic.twitter.com/ijLAjA17On
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) September 24, 2023
Toni Kroos succeeded in reducing the difference with a wonderful shot from outside the area when he took advantage of a header by Uruguayan Jose Maria Jimenez when he turned away a pass to his compatriot Valverde, the German prepared it for himself and manipulated the physical camouflage of Bjorente and shot with his left to the right of goalkeeper Oblak (35).
⚽️🚀 Toni Kroos reduces the gap with a rocket ball #La Liga | #Atletico_Madrid_Real_Madrid#LaLiga | #ATMRMA pic.twitter.com/FY3N0vUtRC
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) September 24, 2023
The Italian coach of the Royal Club Carlo Ancelotti pushed striker Joselo in place of Modric early in the second half in order to build on the strong return of his team at the end of the first half, but Morata deepened his wounds by scoring his second personal goal and his team's third with a header from close range following a cross to Saul (46).
⚽️🔥 Morata scores a brace and adds Atlético's third goal
📌 Atlético's three goals were with perfect headers#La Liga | #Atletico_Madrid_Real_Madrid#LaLiga | #ATMRMA pic.twitter.com/uMLXAAWulG
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) September 24, 2023
It was Morata's fifth LaLiga goal of the season, catching Real Madrid England international Jude Bellingham and Barcelona Polish international Robert Lewandowski to the top scorers.
Ancelotti pushed the trio of Nacho Hernandez and Frenchmen Aurélien Chouameni and Verlan Mendy in place of Lucas Vazquez, Camavinga and Fran Garcia (57).