Friends, neighbours and rivals: The story of the Madrid Derby through the years
Although the city of Madrid currently boasts several LaLiga teams, Real Madrid vs Atlético de Madrid is the big one for many natives of the city, known as madrileños.
After Real Madrid was officially established in 1902, and then Atlético the following year, the two sides faced off in various friendlies and unofficial meetings before the first recorded official meeting in the Campeonato Regional Centro, a 1-1 draw on 2nd December 1906.
The rivalry continued through different regional and national championships, until 1928/29 when LaLiga began with both clubs as initial founder members. Their first meeting in the new competition came on 24th February 1929 at Real Madrid’s Chamartín stadium. The home team won 2-1, with an extra edge added as both goals were scored by forward Monchín Triana, who had joined from Atlético just the previous year.
The idea of players crossing the city was not new, even then. Santiago Bernabéu, the legendary Los Blancos president who gave his name to the iconic stadium they play into this day, guested with Atlético in the 1920s. Real Madrid loaned Atlético forward Ramon Grosso in 1963/64 to help fight off relegation, while Mexico’s Hugo Sánchez actually scored for both teams in LaLiga derbies during the 1980s.
Nowadays, there are many players who have ties to both sides. Real Madrid keeper Thibaut Courtois made his LaLiga debut for Atleti back in 2011, while Diego Simeone’s current squad boasts several players with a Real Madrid past, such as Marcos Llorente, Álvaro Morata, Mario Hermoso, Sergio Reguilón and Saúl Ñíguez.
That’s not to say it has always been friendly. While ElClasico with FC Barcelona is arguably LaLiga Santander’s biggest game internationally, for many at Real Madrid the derby remains the most special. “The team we wanted to beat, at all costs, was the neighbours,” Los Blancos legend and all-time great Alfredo Di Stéfano recalled. “Losing meant our fans had to suffer jokes from the next day in the office, the bar and the street.”
Over the years LaLiga has provided 171 opportunities for such ribbing. Real Madrid has 91 victories, Atlético 40 wins, with 40 draws.
The late Paco Gento holds the all-time record for league appearances in the fixture with 29, while Atlético’s record appearance maker in the fixture is Adelardo Rodríguez with 27. Of current players, Los Blancos captain Karim Benzema (24) and Atlético midfielder Koke (20) top the lists. Di Stefano and 1980s striker Santillana have the most LaLiga goals in the fixture for Real Madrid (13), while 1940s teammates Paco Campos and Adrián Escudero share the record for Atlético with nine each.
Cup competitions have recently taken the rivalry to new heights at home and abroad. Atlético beat Real Madrid in the 2013 Copa del Rey final. Real Madrid then came out on top in the 2014 and 2016 Champions League deciders, while Diego Simeone’s side beat their neighbours in the 2018 UEFA Super Cup. There was also a meeting in the 2020 Spanish Super Cup final, where Real Madrid was crowned champions after beating Atlético on penalties (4-1), while Los Blancos also eliminated Atleti 3-1 after extra time in this season’s Copa del Rey quarter-finals.
Madrid Derby preview: why you just can’t miss Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid this weekend!
The Madrid Derby is the blockbuster game of Matchday 23 in LaLiga Santander, a clash between two teams who can’t afford to drop points and who’ll produce some fascinating duels.
Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid will face off this Saturday in the Madrid Derby in LaLiga Santander, in what will be a thrilling contest between two teams who can’t afford to drop points and who’ll produce some fascinating duels, such as Thibaut Courtois vs Jan Oblak in goals or deadly dribbler Vinícius vs ball-winning Reinildo.
No margin for error for either side
Carlo Ancelotti and Diego Simeone’s squads are at a point in the LaLiga Santander season where they can’t afford to slip up. Los Blancos find themselves eight points behind leaders FC Barcelona and anything less than three points will be a step backwards in their quest for the title. Meanwhile, Los Rojiblancos are right on the border of the Champions League spots, in fourth place for now but aware that their rivals will be looking to snatch that position at the slightest slip-up.
The continuation of a hard-fought derby
This league version of the Madrid Derby comes barely a month after the clash between Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid in the Copa del Rey, a hard-fought match that Real Madrid won in extra time. There may, therefore, be some unfinished business between the two teams, while both sets of fans will remember how tight and close that last duel was. Both sets of players will have that night at the Bernabéu fresh in their minds too, which makes this LaLiga Santander derby one to look forward to.
Courtois vs Oblak is a duel between two great goalkeepers
This fixture is always interesting because of the individual battle between two of the best goalkeepers in the world. Thibaut Courtois and Jan Oblak have shared eight of the last 10 Zamora Trophies – given each season to the goalkeeper with the best goals-against ratio in LaLiga Santander – between them. The Belgian has won three and the Slovenian has won five, with only Claudio Bravo and Bono managing to break the dominance of the Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid goalkeepers at this time. Both are among the goalkeepers with the best goals-conceded ratio of the current season: 0.88 for Courtois and 0.75 for Oblak, each conceding less than a goal per game.
The best dribbler takes on a solid defence
Vinícius is the best dribbler in LaLiga Santander, and by a distance. Real Madrid’s Brazilian forward has completed 61 dribbles in the competition this year, far more than his nearest rival in this ranking, RC Celta’s Javi Galán, who has 38. But, this weekend he’ll face the team with the most successful tackles in LaLiga Santander, which is Atlético de Madrid with 252. They’re also one of the units that intercept the most balls, with 197. In Reinildo, Simeone has a truly great defensive pillar, as he has achieved 30 ball recoveries so far.
Revenge for the World Cup final
Atlético de Madrid boasts three world champions from Qatar in their ranks, with Rodrigo de Paul, Nahuel Molina and Ángel Correa having won the tournament with the Argentine national team. Two players who lost to them in that final were Real Madrid’s Aurélien Tchouaméni and Eduardo Camavinga, so they’ll be looking for revenge and will set out with the aim of defeating the Argentines in this match. Given that Antoine Griezmann also played in that World Cup final, there are six players in this Madrid Derby who can boast of having been present in one of the most memorable matches of last year, which speaks to the level of the two squads that will meet at the Bernabéu.
Ancelotti vs Simeone: The key duel in the Madrid Derby in LaLiga Santander
Since returning to the Real Madrid dugout in 2021, Ancelotti has won three out of four duels with Simeone.
The Madrid Derby is much more than a football match. It’s not just about the battle for three points; it’s about securing victory for the two passionate fanbases that exist in the Spanish capital. And few men know this better than coaches Diego ‘Cholo’ Simeone and Carlo Ancelotti.
The two know each other perfectly, and taking into account the Italian coach’s two spells at Real Madrid, they’ve met on seven different occasions in LaLiga Santander. The balance is in favour of the Argentine. With El Cholo at the helm, Atleti have managed to win four of the seven Madrid Derbies against the Italian.
The first Madrid Derby between Simeone and Ancelotti
The first time these two iconic coaches faced each other in LaLiga Santander was in the 2013/14 season. It was Ancelotti’s first season as Real Madrid coach, and perhaps the Argentine’s experience in this type of derby played a key role. Atlético de Madrid shocked the Santiago Bernabéu crowd, earning a 1-0 win with a fine 11th-minute goal from Diego Costa.
That same season, in which Atleti ended as champions, the return derby at the old Estadio Vicente Calderón ended in a 2-2 draw. Karim Benzema opened the scoring three minutes before Koke equalised with a fine cross-shot. Just before halftime, Los Rojiblancos turned the game around with a shot from almost midfield by Gabi. Cristiano Ronaldo then equalized in the 82nd minute, producing the only league draw between Simeone and Ancelotti to date.
The following season, Simeone managed to win both Madrid Derbies. Atleti walked away from the Santiago Bernabéu with a 2-1 win, before storming to a historic 4-0 win in an unforgettable encounter at the Vicente Calderón.
One win each last season, and two Real Madrid victories in 2022/23
Having failed to get one over Simeone in his first stint in LaLiga Santander, Ancelotti secured his first Madrid Derby league win in the 2021/22 season. Goals from Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio earned Real Madrid a 2-0 victory at the start of last campaign, in which Los Blancos won the championship. In the second meeting, towards the end of last season, Atleti earned some revenge against the champions by winning 1-0 at the Metropolitano courtesy of a Yannick Carrasco penalty.
Then, in 2022/23, the two old foes met twice already, and Real Madrid won both times. The first fixture was in LaLiga Santander at the Estadio Cívitas Metropolitano when Rodrygo and Fede Valverde’s goals fired Los Blancos towards a 2-1 victory. Then, they also met in this season’s Copa del Rey, when Real Madrid won their quarter-final match 3-1 after extra time at the Santiago Bernabéu, where Ancelotti will hope to win another derby this weekend.
Oblak vs Courtois: Two of the best goalkeepers in the world go head to head in the Madrid Derby
The Madrid Derby is just around the corner, with Real Madrid hosting Atlético de Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu on Saturday, February 25th at 18:30 CET. As always, the match promises to be a clash of many of the best players in LaLiga Santander, including a duel between two goalkeepers who have a claim to being the best in the world: Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois and Atlético de Madrid’s Jan Oblak.
Fans only need to watch Oblak play to understand that the Slovenian shot-stopper is special; he passes the eye test in virtually every match. But the 30-year-old also has the statistics to back up his claim to the goalkeeping throne.
Oblak has statistically been the best goalkeeper in LaLiga Santander in five of the past seven years, repeatedly winning the Zamora Trophy, the award given to the goalkeeper to concede the fewest average goals per game playing in at least 28 games. While it’s true that he is helped by Atleti’s renowned defensive solidity, there’s no denying that Oblak has earned these awards. Historically, FC Barcelona legends Antoni Ramallets and Victor Valdés are the only other players to have ever picked up the accolade five times.
Courtois also knows what it’s like to win the top LaLiga Santander keeper award. What’s more, he also did it in Atlético de Madrid colours – twice (2013 & 2014) while on loan in the capital between 2011 and 2014 – in addition to in the 2019/20 season with Real Madrid.
As well as his domestic success, Courtois was recently named MVP for the 2022 Champions League final, when Real Madrid defeated Liverpool 1-0.
How do they compare in Madrid Derbies?
They say that form goes out the window when a derby match comes along but both of these goalkeepers have a history of stepping up for the big occasion in the capital.
Over their careers, Oblak has played in 25 Madrid derbies and has conceded 30 goals, while Courtois has played in 19 and has conceded 22. Nine of those Courtois appearances were for Atlético de Madrid and the last ten were for Real Madrid, with 18 conceded while wearing Atleti colours and just four while representing his current club.
Both men will be targeting another derby clean sheet this weekend, a clean sheet that could help them win the match and also go a long way towards deciding who picks up the top LaLiga Santander goalkeeper award at the end of the season.
Madrid, the capital of world football
Rightly called the capital of world football in recent years, Madrid loves the sport like no other city on earth, with reminders of LaLiga ever-present as you move through the streets.
Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu and Atlético de Madrid’s Cívitas Metropolitano host games on alternate weekends all through the LaLiga season. If you fancy something different to the ‘big 2’ in the capital, Getafe CF and Rayo Vallecano are also in LaLiga Santander this year.
That’s just the start, however. All through the city are reminders that football has been intertwined with the city’s history for more than a century, waiting for supporters of all teams to seek them out.
1. Museums at the Santiago Bernabéu and Cívitas Metropolitano
Attending a LaLiga match at the Bernabéu or Cívitas Metropolitano will be high on the itinerary of any football fan coming to Madrid, but visitors might also be keen to know that both stadiums are open during the week to allow supporters to visit when games are not being played.
The Bernabéu stadium tour is the third-most visited tourist destination in Madrid, no mean feat considering the other world-class sights the city has to offer. The club museum has exhibits ranging from the boots worn by Santiago Bernabéu himself to multimedia installations placing you on the pitch next to stars such as Eden Hazard and Karim Benzema. You can also walk in the players’ footsteps down the tunnel and out onto the sacred turf and ask questions in the media-mixed zone.
The Cívitas Metropolitano stadium tour offers similar access to Atlético’s super-modern new home, with fans welcomed to the dressing room and other behind-the-scenes areas where players including Antoine Griezmann and João Félix prepare for each game. You can also sit in coach Diego Simeone’s seat on the bench and pose for selfies with rojiblanco club mascot Indi himself.
2. Cibeles and Neptuno
Four kilometres from the Bernabéu, straight down the leafy Paseo de la Castellana, is the Fuente de Cibeles. Blancos fans will know that this 18th-century neo-classical fountain, featuring the Greek Earth Mother goddess in a chariot being pulled by two roaring lions, plays a key part in each trophy celebration.
The tradition of the Real Madrid team captain wrapping a club scarf around the goddess’ shoulders dates from the mid-1980s and is particularly associated with the ‘Quinta del Buitre’ side which won five consecutive LaLiga titles with current club director Emilio Butragueño in the attack.
Madrid’s derby rivalry is so close that just 500 metres further along the street is the Fuente de Neptuno, with the marble Greek god of the sea shaking his mighty trident in front of the nearby world-renowned Prado art museum. Atlético de Madrid supporters come here to celebrate successes, such as their most recent LaLiga title in 2020/21.
3. Sol and Palace
At the very centre of Madrid are the Puerta del Sol square, the ‘kilometre zero’ from where all road distances in Spain are measured, and a bustling spot filled with life and energy 24 hours a day.
Both Real Madrid and Atlético have club shops nearby, handy for match tickets, memorabilia and souvenirs, while eagle-eyed visitors will also spot the granite ‘Oso y Madroño’ [Bear and Strawberry Tree] statue from Atlético’s club badge in Sol’s north-east corner. Across the square is the Real Casa de Correos, once the royal post office but now the seat of the regional government from whose balcony Real Madrid and Atlético players address their fans the day after winning a trophy.
A short walk down Calle Mayor takes you to the Royal Palace, the official home of the Kings of Spain for centuries, although the Palacio de Zarzuela is the real home of King Felipe VI, a big Atlético supporter since his youth and honorary president of the club since 2003. Felipe’s father Juan Carlos, King from 1975 until 2014, is a confirmed Real Madrid fan and was a regular Bernabéu visitor. Must have made for interesting derby-day family conversations through the years…
4. Rastro and Madrid Río
Football memorabilia hunters will not want to miss Madrid’s Rastro flea market, which sprawls out from Plaza de Cascorro down the La Ribera de Curtidores and surrounding streets. Each Sunday morning, open-air stalls sell everything imaginable, including all kinds of football memorabilia, from authentic match programmes to commemorative figures to vintage replica shirts.
A short stroll further south of the city centre is the Manzanares river, where the old Estadio Vicente Calderon was placed and is now fully demolished, where Atlético played from 1966 until 2017. Stretching in each direction is the ‘Madrid Río’ park, a recreation and culture area packed with things to do for children. There are also public five-a-side football pitches, where visitors bringing their own boots can join in pick-up games.
5. Ribeyes and Sirloins
Fans visiting Madrid also have a chance to eat in restaurants frequented by LaLiga stars, and if they’re very lucky maybe even spot a Real Madrid or Atlético player tucking into a post-match steak.
Meson Txistu on Plaza Angel Carbajo is where Real Madrid’s players traditionally ate together to celebrate LaLiga wins, as confirmed by walls showing photos of past and present Blancos players, coaches and presidents. The nearby Asador Donostiarra on Calle de la Infanta Mercedes offers a similar meat-heavy menu, and pictures inside confirm it hosted the party when Atlético won the title in May 2014. Current Atlético coach Diego Simeone is also known to visit the Di Maria grill on Calle Felix Boix.
