Cor blimey, what a result for Atletico Madrid. They proper turned up on Saturday and gave their posh neighbours a right good hiding, smashing Real Madrid 5-2 in a derby match what had everything. It were the first time in 75 years they’ve scored five against Real, and you could see what it meant to everyone in red and white.
Real Madrid came swanning in thinking they were the business, having won all their first six games. But Atletico weren’t having any of it. From the off, they were at them, and it were young Giuliano Simeone – the gaffer’s lad – who set up the first goal with a lovely cross for Robin Le Normand to head home after 14 minutes.
Real showed a bit of why they’re top, mind. That Kylian Mbappe is something else, ain’t he? He equalised with a cool finish, and then Arda Guler made it 2-1 after some magic from Vinicius Junior. For a bit there, you thought it might be same old story.
But this Atletico side have got some fight in them. Right before half time, Alexander Sorloth rose up and powered a header in to make it 2-2. That were a massive goal, that was. Gave them all the belief they needed.
The second half were just one-way traffic, truth be told. Real looked lost. The game turned when Guler got his foot up too high on Nico Gonzalez in the box. Clear penalty. Julian Alvarez, who’s been on fire, stepped up and sent Courtois the wrong way. Then he goes and curls a beauty of a free-kick into the top corner for 4-2. Courtois got a hand to it and all, but it were too good.
Then, to put the icing on the cake, on comes Antoine Griezmann late on and he just strolls through and slots in a fifth. The place went absolutely mental. The final whistle went and the players did a full lap of honour – you don’t see that too often in September, do ya?
For Atletico, this is more than just three points. After a bit of a wobbly start to the season, this proves they can still mix it with the best. For Real Madrid and Xabi Alonso, it’s a proper wake-up call. They’re still top, but they ain’t invincible. The title race just got a whole lot more interesting. What a brilliant, brilliant game of football.