The captain of Atlético Madrid shared his perspective on the goalkeeper, expressing regret over the circumstances that led to a temporary suspension during the match.
In a thrilling Madrid derby, Ángel Correa’s late goal helped Atlético Madrid equalize against Real Madrid, who initially took the lead through Eder Militão. In the dying moments of the match, Correa scored during the 94th minute, which ended a tense encounter following a chaotic period that included an earlier goalkeeper incident.
The derby unfolded in two contrasting halves. The first period saw Real Madrid leading 1-0 until the suspension, which lasted 22 minutes due to fans throwing objects onto the pitch from the Atlético section. This occurred shortly after Madrid’s opening goal, during which a lighter was thrown into Courtois’ area. Following the incident, Courtois handed the object to the referee, who then stopped the game after repeated warnings.
Koke and several Atlético players attempted to calm their supporters, but their efforts were unavailing. Despite appeals from Koke, coach Diego Simeone, and José María Giménez for fans to behave, the match was temporarily halted.
After the delay, the game resumed, and Real Madrid threatened to extend their lead before Atlético managed to level the score. The final score was 1-1, with VAR confirming the goal was not offside.
Neither side emerged victorious; Real Madrid struggled to find rhythm in their attacks, while Atlético lacked ambition until they faced the possibility of defeat. Both teams now find themselves one point closer to Barcelona’s lead, having capitalized on the Catalan club’s earlier mistakes and lineup changes.
Historically, derbies like this evoke caution among coaches and players, as they are acutely aware of the small margin between victory and defeat. This mentality often leads to a conservative approach, prioritizing defensive stability over risky offensive maneuvers.
Throughout the match, both teams took time to gauge each other’s strengths, mirroring the strategic discipline of a chess match. The early minutes yielded few opportunities, with Atlético trying to find success down the left flank and Real Madrid initially cautious.
Real Madrid demonstrated more offensive intent in the first half, although their efforts often fell short, exemplified by attempts from Valverde that were either saved or went wide. The dynamics shifted as the match progressed, with Atlético increasingly on the back foot until they conceded the opening goal following a poorly defended free-kick situation.
Eventually, less ambitious play from both teams resulted in few clear chances until Vinicius contributed a vital assist for Militão’s goal. The derby emphasized the need for greater ambition from both sides to secure success in LaLiga, and ultimately Atlético salvaged a point through Correa’s determined efforts.