Following Atlético Madrid's 2-1 derby victory over Real Madrid, Marca journalist Juan Ignacio G-Ochoa wrote an article reviewing the match. He argued that while Real Madrid had grounds to question some refereeing decisions, this could not excuse the team's poor performance.

The article noted that fouls by Cristian Romero and Lee Kang-in could have deserved red cards, with Lee Kang-in's challenge on Valverde being particularly controversial. However, refereeing issues and Real Madrid's own performance are separate matters, and the arbitration controversy should not overshadow the team's on-field problems.

Real Madrid's first-half performance was already poor, and the second half was even worse. Though the team was reduced to ten men following Huijsen's red card, a genuine comeback only materialized in added time after Rüdiger's goal. The article argued that during the previous 90 minutes, Real Madrid lacked vitality, aggression, and effective play, particularly in offensive organization, failing to create genuine chances or consistently threaten Atlético's goal.

The article specifically discussed the midfield pairing of Valverde and Tchouaméni, suggesting that while both are adept at running, pressing, and covering ground, entrusting them with offensive organization makes it difficult for Real Madrid's attack to flow smoothly.

Regarding the LaLiga title race, the author believes there is a clear difference in playing style between the current Real Madrid and Barcelona. Meanwhile, Atlético Madrid's overall performance in the derby was superior to Real Madrid's, featuring a more mature tactical system and clearer understanding of how they wanted to play. However, the article also noted that Atlético did not deliver an overwhelming performance but rather played with greater consistency and capitalized on their chances.

Vinícius Junior's form also came under criticism, with the author noting that the Brazilian forward again lacked presence in the derby. Although Mourinho still considers him a starter, questions about his starting position are growing. Vinícius had limited involvement in the match and provided little help to the team. After Huijsen's dismissal, Mourinho substituted him off in the 53rd minute.

Huijsen had been one of Real Madrid's best-performing players this season, but his error in the derby shifted the match's momentum. Early in the second half, he misjudged a long pass from Hatzko, then committed a foul on Giuliano Simeone, which ultimately resulted in a penalty and red card.

After Real Madrid was reduced to ten men and conceded a goal, Mourinho's substitutions also raised questions from the author. He replaced Vinícius with Diomande, then withdrew Güler to revert to a two-center-back system. The author argued that Güler was one of the few players in Real Madrid's squad capable of providing creativity in attack, and his withdrawal left the midfield, comprised of Valverde and Tchouaméni, even more devoid of organizational ability.

Furthermore, Marca believes that Lee Kang-in's foul on Valverde should have resulted in a direct red card because his challenge was late, with studs showing and struck Valverde's ankle, but VAR did not intervene. The article also criticized referee Ortiz Arias for failing to properly control the match.

There were also several confrontations between players from both sides during the match. Atlético's Argentine players clashed with Bellingham. Romero confronted the English midfielder in the first half, and then Giuliano Simeone also had words with Bellingham. Bellingham later committed a rather aggressive foul on Álvarez.

For Atlético, substitute Koke received praise from the article. The author believes that with the numerical and scoreline advantage, Koke helped the team further control midfield, demonstrating that he can still play an important role in such significant matches.

The article noted that Álvarez continued to be booed by some Atlético home fans, though he came very close to scoring. On a clear goal-scoring opportunity, he had beaten Courtois' defense, but Konaté cleared the ball with his head just off the goal line, preventing Álvarez from scoring.

Traducido por IA.

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