In November 2011, Real Madrid fans unfurled a banner at the Santiago Bernabeu that read: “Proper rival wanted for a worthy derby.” At the time, Atletico Madrid had endured 13 years and 25 matches without a victory over their wealthier, more decorated city neighbours. That day’s derby followed a familiar script: Atletico took an early lead, only for their goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to be sent off before Real stormed to a 4-1 win, extending a winless streak that had surpassed 5,000 minutes of play.
The dynamic shifted decisively in the 2013 Copa del Rey final. Staged at the Bernabeu, Diego Simeone’s resilient Atletico side stunned Real Madrid with a 2-1 victory in extra time. The triumph was capped by the symbolic image of Atletico captain Gabi receiving the trophy from Spain’s former King Juan Carlos, a noted Real Madrid supporter.
Since that victory, the rivalry has become fiercely competitive. Across 43 subsequent derbies in all competitions, the record is remarkably balanced: 16 wins for Real Madrid, 12 for Atletico, and 15 draws. Recent encounters have been particularly tight, and last season’s Champions League round-of-16 tie was decided by a controversial penalty shootout victory for Real Madrid after the teams traded narrow home wins.
As the on-field contest has evened out, the off-field rivalry has intensified. The condescending superiority once displayed by Real Madrid’s fanbase has hardened into a resolve to keep their neighbours in their perceived place. Meanwhile, Atletico’s newfound self-confidence has been tarnished by disgraceful and criminal acts from some of their radical ultras—actions widely condemned by the majority of the club’s supporters.
The derby’s identity as a clash between the city’s elite and its working class solidified over decades. Real Madrid’s dominance was cemented mid-century under president Santiago Bernabeu, whose team of superstars, including Alfredo Di Stefano and Ferenc Puskas, won five consecutive European Cups. The Bernabeu became a hub for Spain’s political and business leaders, while Atletico drew its support from the working-class neighbourhoods to the south.
“In my time, the rival was Atletico,” Di Stefano recalled in 2014. “Games against Barcelona lasted 90 minutes. Derbies against Atletico lasted a whole week. You wanted to beat them at all costs. If not, their fans would be laughing at us in the office, the bar, on the street.”
Under president Florentino Perez, Real Madrid has transformed into a global entertainment brand, signing superstars from Zinedine Zidane to Kylian Mbappe, and now boasts an annual turnover exceeding €1 billion. Atletico, despite emerging from a period of financial turmoil and moving to the modern Estadio Metropolitano in 2017, operates on less than half that income. Yet, the underdog ethos persists. “We’re like Robin Hood,” midfielder Tiago Mendes said in 2014. “People identify with us, as we are fighting against many adversities.”
In recent years, the Madrid derby has become a staple of the Champions League knockout stages, producing some of the competition’s most dramatic moments. In the 2014 final, Atletico were seconds from their first European Cup when a 93rd-minute Sergio Ramos header forced extra time, where a demoralised Atletico collapsed to a 4-1 defeat. Two years later, the final in Milan again pitted the two rivals, with the match going to a penalty shootout where Real Madrid triumphed once more.
Last season’s European clash ended in the cruellest fashion for Atletico. In the decisive shootout, Julian Alvarez’s converted penalty was disallowed because the forward was judged to have touched the ball twice as he slipped. Real Madrid secured the win moments later, sparking celebrations that led to UEFA fines and suspended bans for Antonio Rudiger and Kylian Mbappe for “violating the basic rules of decent conduct.” The penalty rule was later changed by IFAB, stating such an infringement would now result in a retake—a change that came too late for Atletico.
Despite the escalating tensions, a number of players have crossed the city divide, including Marcos Llorente, whose family has deep ties to both clubs. However, not all transitions are smooth. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who joined Real Madrid after a successful loan spell at Atletico, has faced hostility from his former fans, leading to a match suspension last October after objects were thrown at him from the stands.
More alarmingly, the rivalry has been poisoned by vile racist abuse directed at Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior. The Brazilian has been targeted with racist chants, and in January 2023, an effigy wearing his shirt was hung from a bridge near Real’s training ground. While Atletico officials have condemned the abuse, the incidents have further soured relations.
The animosity has also played out between the managers. Before their last Champions League meeting, then-Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti and Atletico’s Simeone engaged in a public debate over refereeing bias. Simeone alluded to “100 years of decisions” favouring Real, to which Ancelotti retorted that “maybe there are some thorns which still hurt,” a clear reference to Atletico’s Champions League final defeats.
As the clubs prepare for their next La Liga encounter, both have undergone significant summer changes. Xabi Alonso has taken the helm at Real Madrid, while Atletico has heavily invested in its squad. Yet, one thing remains constant: the ferocity of El Derbi Madrileño, a rivalry that promises another tense and dramatic chapter.
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