Late Drama in Madrid Derby as Correa Rescues Atletico

A thrilling Madrid derby unfolded on Sunday as Atletico Madrid snatched a dramatic stoppage-time equalizer against city rivals Real Madrid. Angel Correa was the hero for Atletico, scoring in the fifth minute of added time to salvage a 1-1 draw, in a derby marked by crowd issues that halted play for nearly 20 minutes in the second half.

The match took a turn shortly after Real Madrid took the lead in the 64th minute. Brazilian defender Eder Militao put the visitors ahead with a deflected strike from inside the box, which seemed likely to secure victory for Real. However, the game was paused soon after, with Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois complaining to officials about objects being thrown by the home supporters from behind his goal.

The referee, after consulting both managers, temporarily suspended the match, and an announcement was made to address the issue. Atletico manager Diego Simeone and some of his players even approached a group of fans in an attempt to calm the situation. The players were then instructed to return to their dressing rooms while tensions eased in the stands.

Once play resumed, Real Madrid looked in control, and Militao's goal appeared set to give them all three points. Real almost doubled their lead when Vinicius Jr. was denied by a brilliant save from Atletico’s goalkeeper Jan Oblak, a moment that would prove crucial.

Atletico, refusing to bow out, pushed for a late equalizer, and it finally came in stoppage time through substitute Angel Correa. The Argentine rounded Courtois and bundled the ball into the net. Initially, the goal was ruled out for offside, but following a review by VAR, the decision was overturned, with Correa confirmed to be onside.

The drama wasn't over as Atletico’s Marcos Llorente saw red just minutes after the equalizer for a reckless late challenge on Real Madrid’s Fran Garcia. The yellow card initially shown by the referee was upgraded to a red card following a VAR review, adding a final twist to an already eventful derby.

The match was characterized by heated emotions, with Diego Simeone criticizing Courtois' celebration of Real's goal. "You can celebrate a goal, but not by looking at the fans, having a go, making gestures like that," Simeone said in an interview with DAZN. He suggested that such actions inflamed the crowd, noting past incidents when Courtois, then an Atletico player, faced similar behavior from Real Madrid supporters.

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti, on the other hand, accepted the decision to suspend the match, calling it "correct." He remained upbeat about the result despite the late equalizer, stating, "We were very close to winning, but this can happen; the opponent is very strong. I always think positively, not negatively; I think that we've gained a point on the leaders."

The result keeps the two Madrid rivals as the only unbeaten sides in La Liga this season. Barcelona, who saw their perfect start end with a loss to Osasuna on Saturday, remain at the top of the table with a three-point lead over second-placed Real. Atletico are in third, two points behind their city rivals.

Real Madrid extended their unbeaten run in La Liga to 40 matches, stretching back to a defeat against Atletico in the corresponding fixture in September 2023. Missing star summer signing Kylian Mbappe, who was out with a thigh injury, Real struggled to capitalize on their lead. Courtois produced a crucial save against Atletico substitute Samuel Lino in the dying minutes, but ultimately, Correa found the breakthrough that kept Atletico's hopes alive.

It was a derby full of drama, emotion, and controversy—one that ultimately left both teams with plenty to reflect upon as they chase Barcelona in the La Liga title race.