La Liga: Atlético 4 – 0 Real Madrid

Blancos butchered in the Calderón as Atleti run riot in El Derbi

Posted by on February 7th, 2015 37 Comments

2015_02_07_k

Yes, you read that scoreline right. Atlético 4-0 Real Madrid. Four. F-O-U-R. And it could’ve been more.

Fans in the Vicente Calderón were treated to a historic afternoon of football on Saturday, as Diego Simeone’s team utterly demolished rivals Real in the Madrid derby.

Tiago, Saúl Ñíguez, Antoine Griezmann and Mario Mandzukic were on target, but it was a performance to savour from the whole team and one that will live in Atléticos’ memories for the rest of their lives.

Los Blancos came into the game as favourites, and despite missing key players in defence, were boosted by the timely return of Cristiano Ronaldo from a two-match ban.

Atleti on the other hand were at full strength, with Cholo opting to leave Fernando Torres on the bench in favour of Mandzukic and Griezmann up front. It was a decision he wouldn’t regret.

However, the red and whites were dealt a blow inside the first 10 minutes as Koke limped off with what was later to be confirmed as a hamstring tear. The youngster will be out of action for the best part of a month, and was replaced by Saúl.

Four minutes later though, they were ahead, and the roof was blown off of the Calderón.

Juanfran, who hadn’t enjoyed the best of starts to 2015, was the instigator, his cross found it’s way to Mandzukic, and the Croat got his head up to lay the ball for Tiago to fire into the back of the net from 18 yards.

Just like in the Bernabéu last September, it was the Portuguese veteran who opened the scoring, although Carlo Ancelotti will probably have felt that ‘keeper Casillas could’ve done better with the shot.

Another few minutes passed, but before the shell-shocked Madrid team could even find time to catch their breath, it was two.

This time substiture Saúl was on the scoresheet, and in some style. After left-back Siqueira did well to get into the box and chip the ball back, the youngster showed great improvisation and acrobatically over-head kick home via the aid of the post.

Atleti were in dreamland, and it was to get even better. Despite the refs best efforts.

As well as the strikers were playing up front, the defence remained focused and strong, and handled everything that Madrid had to throw at them.

Godín, solid as usual, probably should have won a penalty before half-time as well, but referee Fernández Borbalán waved away the protests as Sami Khedira blocked his goalbound effort with a hand.

The German international was replaced at half-time as Ancelotti chose to throw on young forward Jesé, but his attempts to try and peg Atleti back fell flat.

Arda was imperial, Mandzukic caused an untold amount of problems for centre-backs Varane and Nacho, and Saúl was just about everywhere on the pitch.

The man who was really stealing the show though was Antoine Griezmann. The Frenchman had been getting better and better since the turn of the year, and was embarrassing some of Madrid’s more acclaimed stars with his performance.

Midway through the second half he had his goal, and there could be no complaints. Real’s players must have been reminded of the 5-0 thrashing they were given by Barcelona back in 2010, as the football from Atleti was on a similar level.

This time Arda took centre stage, he cut inside and found the head of the tireless Saúl at the back post. The 20 year-old’s knockdown found it’s way to Griezmann, and he applied the simple finish for three.

Still though, the fans wanted more. The atmosphere they created throughout the 90 minutes was just on another level. It was there for the taking for Simeone and his team as well.

Madrid’s best chances came from snapshots, set-pieces and long range efforts, and even with Ronaldo back in the team – yes, he was playing – never created any real openings of note all game.

With 15 minutes to go, Fernando Torres came on to help provide the cherry on top. El Niño didn’t score, but caused further havoc to the Madrid backline with his movement and running, and created the fourth goal in the last minute.

After pulling out wide and teasing Coentrão, he played an inch perfect cross for striker partner Mandzukic, who only had to get his head onto it to beat Casillas.

4-0, and we’ll say it once more, that doesn’t do Atleti justice. The performance was just from another world, like nothing I’ve seen before even since Cholo took over.

Of course, the Argentine boss will insist that we are only thinking about the next game, but rojiblancos can dare to dream once more after a win like that.

We are still four points behind Real, but heading into the business end of the season, that could give Atleti a psychological advantage.

The annual crisis is most likely due at the Bernabéu, but more importantly, we have shown everybody that we are not to be underestimated this season.

To all the doubters, Atlético de Madrid are still very much alive, and you can be certain that the fight will go on right until the very end. Hay liga!

Atlético Madrid Real Madrid
Atlético Madrid 40 Real Madrid
Tiago 14 
Saúl 18 
Griezmann 67 
Mandzukic 89 
Competition Liga BBVA
Location Vicente Calderón
Date 07 February 2015
Kick Off 16:00 CET

Team Lineups

Atlético Madrid
Moyá
Juanfran
Godín
Miranda
Siqueira
Gabi
Tiago
Koke
Arda
Griezmann
Mandzukic
Substitutes used
Saúl (10')
Raúl García (71')
Torres (77')
Real Madrid
Casillas
Carvajal
Varane
Nacho
Coentrão
Khedira
Kroos
Isco
Bale
Ronaldo
Benzema
Substitutes used
Jesé (45')
Illarramendi (68')
Chicharito (73')

Match Stats

Possession
4555
Shots
174
On Target
81
Corners
23
Fouls
1617
Yellow Cards
52
Red Cards
00
  • Mohammed Basith

    My b’day gift <3

  • Brad

    That was an amazing game

  • AaX

    I thought that It could have been like this at the Calderon when was against Barcelona, but then it was actually destined to be against Real Finally. I Take This At Any Given Time and Day. We are showing Our New Potential. Have a Good Rest and the Weekend. Further important games in the coming. P E A C E

  • Incredible atmosphere today! Griezmann was brilliant as he has been all season. Fans didn’t stop singing all game and I have no voice left!

  • On beIN Arabic, the correspondent outside the Calderon called a fan to interview him, and he asked him : Feliz ?!
    The young man answered : Joder ! .. muy feliz

    I can’t say more than what he said

  • Chewie

    It was an Atletico you couldn’t help but fall in love. Honestly, I never though we were THAT good.

  • Chewie
  • Kris

    Pictures are worth a thousand words….

  • Argentina just won sub-20 Copa SudAmericano, they only needed a draw against Uruguay in the last game of second group stage, but they won 2-1 thanks to a wonderful goal from our Angel Correa in min. 81
    Giovanni Simeone is the top scorer with 9 goals

    https://vine.co/v/OUAe3XLJixg

  • Mohammed Basith

    Always expect the unexpected.
    That’s what Atlético is.

  • Adi Harper

    After such a long wait, this match was my first visit to the Calderon and what a match to have picked! Still buzzing from my Madrid hotel room this morning! Great performances from everyone but especially Griezmann for his attack and creativity and Tiago was just everywhere!

  • I hope you’re doing the stadium tour this afternoon!

  • Adi Harper

    Lol just done it and now sat in the 1903 Sports Bar!

  • Chewie

    Incredible. Next year we will have an even better line-up than now. And a younger one as well.

  • All right, we celebrated and laughed enough, now let’s have some serious talk,
    I didn’t want to say this last night to not ruin the joy, and I’m glad I didn’t, because I was very angry at Borbalan that I would have blamed him for the many yellow cards we have seen, but now after I calmed down, I only blame our players
    I don’t mean that Borbalan didn’t do anything wrong, of course he did, he is a Spanish referee in a game for Atletico !!
    He denied us a clear penalty, and he was lucky that Madrid didn’t score a goal and make it 2-1, then maybe the game could have ended in a totally different score, just like what happened against Barca
    And he didn’t book Nacho in a play against Gabi when he booked Gabi in an exact play in the first half, but he booked Godin instead for a very polite protest, the man was even putting his hands behind his back !
    But the other 4 bookings were only on our players

    We have a discipline problem,
    and don’t get me wrong, I didn’t change my mind after I said that : except Arda’s boot, I don’t have a problem with the team’s behavior against Barca
    I’m not ashamed to to change my mind and confess that I was wrong, but this is not the case here,
    against Barca, Gabi -as the team captain- practiced his right and protested in the allowed limit for what he (and everybody else) thought a penalty, while Mario made 2 clumsy challenges that any player could make, and the child Neymar kept provoking our players and they had to reply
    Nothing abnormal, especially with an outrageous refereeing
    And MOST IMPORTANTLY, that was a cup game, and the suspensions will be served next season,
    and that leads me to my point :
    Receiving 5 yellow cards in a game that we dominated and that was (relatively) clean is idiotic
    And losing or drawing in the next game after thrashing the leaders 4-0 because we missed 2 key player after 2 free yellow cards would be disastrous
    As I said, only Godin’s yellow was on Borbalan, while the other 4 could have been avoided
    Two big and mature players on 4 yellows receive the 5th for protesting while we were leading 2-0 and one of them wasn’t even on the pitch
    An international STRIKER receiving his NINTH yellow card (most yellows in the team) for a silly handball while we were up 3-0 is
    Even Gabi should have avoided his yellow card, because if you read AS regularly you would have seen the videos of the trainings before Madrid game and how El Profe told the players repeatedly not to jump with their elbows high, and he even trained them for that using the training dummies

    We are not a violent team despite what all Spain and even all the world saying, we are 14th on fouls-committed table, which means that there are 13 (non-violent) clubs who committed more fouls than us, BUT YET, we are 6th on yellow cards table, and the explanation for that -beside the fact that the refs are always harsh with us- is that we protest a lot
    I don’t have a statistic for the yellow cards we have received for protesting, but I could safely say they are not less than 10

    Arda & Raul saw Koke gets injured and substituted, but yet they managed to get themselves suspended for next game, and Raul did that from outside !
    If Saul didn’t recover in time, we will have only 17 players available for Celta game, including only one attacking midfielder, Cani, who have only played 38 minutes with us

    Our 2 top scorers Griezmann and Mandzukic both received unnecessary yellow cards against Eibar and Madrid respectively, it was Grizi’s 4th & Mandzu’s 9th, and both now are one yellow card from suspension, joining Miranda, Juanfran & Siqueira, in a difficult period of the season where we will face Sevilla then Valencia after 2 games

    I know that the refs in Spain can drive anybody crazy, but our players are not anybody, they are professionals, and they should not give those refs any excuse to hurt us and return things to normal (their normal) where only Madrid and Barca are allowed to win trophies

    Less protesting please

  • Kris

    Yes, the protesting is very excessive and that’s the reason we have received many yellows this season. Godin AND RG8 yellows should have never happened though, it was just the referee being a little bitch not being able to take criticism from another grown man.

    I didn’t realize about all of those yellows though, until you pointed them out. I think Griezmann and Mandzukic, or at least Griezmann should get the yellow against Celta and miss the game against Almeria. With all due respect to Almeria, even though they are trying hard to stay as far away as possible from the relegation zone, I think they will be one of the relatively easier teams to face, especially at home.

  • Brad

    If you’re still in Madrid and have a chance, make your way out to Majadahonda to see the training center. It’s certainly worth the experience.

  • Chewie

    I guess it’s one of the downsides of being a Simeone team player since the boss himself used every opportunity to get what he wanted, including disputing ref’s decisions, provoking etc. Even now he runs along the sideline, arguing with everyone who stands in his way. But I agree that for a tough team like Atletico it’s unnecessary to behave like this.

    On the other hand, maybe it’s a smart tactic to waste time and piss the opponent off.

  • Jeronamo Pakor Jones

    I disagree to some extent. Turan’s yellow was deservd, players ptotest things with officials every game, some more than others and they don’t recieve cards and let’s not forget he was protesting because a clean tackle on nacho from mandzukic was regarded as a foul

  • I was thinking about the same thing, Grizi should get his 5th vs Celta and miss Almeria at home and be available for Sevilla & valencia, but as I said few days ago :
    if “partido a partido” is a religion, then what we are suggesting is a blasphemy !
    I don’t think that Simeone would even think about that

  • Then Simeone is the one who needs to change a little bit
    He himself described his suspension at the beginning of the season as ” a very horrible experience ”

    It’s for the team’s sake, and I mean it’s results that could be affected by the suspensions, not it’s image, because I don’t give a shit about what a bunch of mercenaries journalists think about us, and more importantly, they will never change their look to us no mater what

    Anyway, suspensions or no suspensions, we will need all our 21 players this season if we want to win a title, just like last season when we needed Adrian, Sosa & Diego Ribas, and they didn’t let us down, especially the first two
    So, the question is : could Raul Jimenez and Cani help us like Adrian and Sosa did last season with their crucial goals & assists ?!
    That’s a very important and a very tough question

  • Sports journalist Javier Matallanas claims that Filipe Luis has told Miranda that he is not happy at Chelsea and he wants to comeback to Atleti
    http://opinion.as.com/opinion/2015/02/08/portada/1423350608_525376.html

    If it was up to you, would you take him back ?!

    I think those who read my comments for long time will know my answer,
    NO FUCKING WAY, unless he gets down on his knees and begs, and agrees to play with us FOR FREE, then maybe I will think about it

  • Ringo

    Would take him back
    He’s a great left back and seems like a nice guy

    I can’t blame him for wanting to try a new challenge
    It ended up less great as he wished for (if that’s true) and that happens

    But because he (thought he) didn’t want to stay here forever you suddenly hate him? Great and forever aren’t the same thing
    Especially in football

  • Adi Harper

    Unfortunately I’m on the flight back home now so I’ll have to book it in if I’m lucky enough to come back in the future. Cannot believe they’ll be moving out of the Calderon soon (they’re currently muting 2017 as the year of the move during the stadium tour).

  • Adi Harper

    Annoying as the suspensions can be, we wouldn’t have the same performances and results if you took away (or diluted) the aggressive ‘fight for everything’ desire that Simeone instills into the players.

    So I don’t mind taking the annoying suspensions when they come if we keep playing the Simeone way.

    A good point about the timing of potential suspensions with the Valencia and Sevilla games coming up.

    The referees however – yes, their decisions many a time are just incredulous and I doubt that will change soon!

    Atleti!!

  • I never said I hate him, I said I will never take him back, just like he refused to stay in a very critical time where too many players decided to leave, the club almost begged him to stay and tried everything, but he preferred the extra 2 or 3 millions in Chelsea (and the “new experience” he kept talking about is just a horse shit)

    He left for a club that have a coach who insulted us in too many occasions
    He talked to Miranda and tried to convince him to go with him to Chelsea
    He forgot that we signed him when his leg was literally broken, and after he recovered, it took him too long to become the player he is right now, he couldn’t even take Antonio Lopez’s spot, who was a great captain and a true rojiblanco, but wasn’t a world-class LB, but we waited and waited, but he didn’t do the same and left in the very first chance

    Godin, Arda, Juanfran and other players also got very big offers, but they didn’t let their club, their coach or their teammates down, the club and the coach and the teammates who helped them to grow and be great players,
    SO, it will be very wrong if we treated those who left in the same way
    Hate is a big word, but let’s say that if anybody still loves Filipe as much as he loves those who refused the temptation and showed a loyalty, then it is an insult and a lack of loyalty from him to them

    I know that you can reply by talking about professionalism and the interest of the club and how players have the right to “secure” their and their families future, and all of that, and many fans share this opinion with you, and maybe you are right
    BUT I’m of the other kind, from those who hates modern football where money is everything, and in a club like Atleti, I believe that there are also many fans who share that with me
    just a month ago, in some polls, almost 50% of Atleti fans were not happy about the selling of 20% of the club to Jianlin, despite the tens of millions who will inject into the club
    I am not against that, but I share the principle with them, the traditions, the values, the beautiful game and the loyalty

  • urban

    When I heared this summer that Tiago is coming back my reaction was the same as Ahmad’s, but now I have to eat my words as the experienced Portugese is proving to be invaluable again this season.

    I forgave him that he left for Chelsea and I forgave him that he failed to mark Ramos in the dying minutes in Lisbon.

    With every chance he gets now I can tell he is always giving 100% and we simply do not have a better player for his position.

    It could be the same story with FL, even tough Siqueiras is getting more and more promising.

  • ringo

    You’re forgetting that the premier League is huge and so is Chelsea
    He had a chance to play for a huge team in a different competition than the one he has played in for more than 10 years or something

    He should’ve said no just because atleti decided to pay money for him when he was injured

    He always played well (from season 2 on) and always have his all
    He brought the team to a higher level not just the other way around and I’m grateful for that

    Just because others (Godin, Miranda, Juanfran) chose differently just means they had other wishes and didn’t feel the urge to try something else
    And that’s fine too
    I’m sad we lost Filipe, but I’m glad he chose to chase his dreams, because everyone should and he deserved it
    And maybe he does get a bigger pay check but I’m certain that’s not the only factor because even though we aren’t real or barça, we still pay shit loads of money
    Just because nowadays it’s normal to pay 80 million doesn’t mean 30 million for grizi isn’t a gargantuan amount

    His family would be safe with atleti money
    He just wanted a shot at another adventure at another big club that showed faith in him

    And Mourinho usually wasn’t that negative about atleti
    Actually think he was surprisingly positive about our tactics compared to pretty much everyone else

  • Kris

    I would definitely take back Filipe. He’s a great player who deserves to be treated much better than how Moronho is treating him now.The devil(money) and Mourinho lured him away, but he can definitely come back and resurrect himself.

  • Jeronamo Pakor Jones

    I know you won’t change your mind but I wish you would. Plus you don’t know the guy personally so who knows what his true reason was for leaving and the fact Tiago came back and has been giving his all is more than a good example for a reason why we should take him back

  • Urban & Jeronamo : Tiago didn’t “comeback”, because he never left, he was out of contract and it took him a long time to decide, but he finally decided to stay, and even if he wanted to go to Chelsea but the the move failed for one reason or another, he still could have moved to one of those “retirement leagues” in north America or here in the middle east

    Beside, Tiago gave Atleti much more than Filipe did, and he was 33, not 28 like Filipe, and 33 is the age in which the football player searches for his last big contract

    It’s very nice to be big-hearted and very forgiving, I wish I can be like that, but that’s not me

  • Adi Harper

    If this article is true, then I think Filipe coming back would be an excellent signing for 2 reasons:-
    1. He is an excellent LB.
    2. Any current Atleti star thinking of leaving can hear from Filipe how the grass isn’t always greener on the other side!

  • Chewie

    I’d pose the question like this: take Filipe back and win the league or refuse to take him back and end up third? I would surely take him back.

  • That’s a good perspective, but it’s a little far from reality
    The perspective that’s closer to reality -in my opinion- would be : Take him back and also finish third

    I don’t think Filipe is the one piece we lack to win the league again, maybe not even Costa
    I think that piece is someone like Reus or Hazard

    Anyway, Filipe will never comeback directly from Chelsea, because -according to Gil- he will never deal with them anymore, he even refused to negotiate with them for Torres, our biggest still-in-action legend, and he waited until he signed him from Milan

    So, if Gil is saying the truth, then Filipe will have to “experience” more and more of England’s benches, or agree to move to Fiorentina like Salah or Leverkusen like Suhurrle or Everton like Lukaku or even the new Milan -who aren’t great anymore- like Torres, because that’s what Mourinho’s Chelsea do, they don’t sell their players to big teams that could be a threat to them in England or in Europe

    Just like you would be happy to take him back, I believe you feel sorry for him .. I am not

  • Chewie

    Of course it’s far from reality but people like Filipe would at least make us more solid in defence. However, I am not sorry for him – he made a decision and, as a grown man and a professional, he now has to deal with it.

  • Jeronamo Pakor Jones

    The point is that there’s no harm, only good can come about from taking him back. Btw I don’t feel sorry for him, I just don’t have ill feelings against him

  • AaX

    My sentiments are almost mostly alligned with Ahmad’s here. But to me Calderon will always open her doors to those who already learn their lesson and are willing to fight back for the Team even harder. I understand how it might feel when someone you gave your true admiration and respect to, suddenly just took off. To me should he does come back, he’ll have to fight back for his place EQUALLY amongst others. In Atleti it’s not an understatement that with the support and non-ceasing concern that we the fan give to this badge, we would at least right in expecting some kind of a descent respond of Loyalty. We are not the neighbour or Chelseas who sells and buys player like they are in somesort of a meat market. We have higher ideals for We Are One of The Genuinely True Football Club. But YES, I’ll accept back Filipe under current condition and Yes, We Dont Deal anymore with Chelsea except if bringing in Courtois back for Good the Next Time i See. Vamos Atleti, P E A C E