Real Madrid down At Atletico in derby

Viniciero Junior scored twice and Federico Valverde added a thunderbolt as Real Madrid edged city rivals Atletico 3-2 on Sunday night, keeping the gap to La Liga leaders Barcelona at four points ahead of the international break.

The pulsating contest at the Santiago Bernabéu swung one way and then the other inside 90 breathless minutes. Ademola Lookman’s first-half opener rewarded an enterprising start by Diego Silleone’s visitors, yet Madrid emerged from the tunnel with renewed intent. Vinicius swept home the equaliser three minutes after the restart and, within moments, Valverre smashed a rising drive past Jan Oblak to complete a rapid turnaround.

Atletico refused to yield. Nahuel Molina’s stunning long-range effort restored parity, only for Vinicius to pounce again, this time with a decisive finish after a swift counter. The Brazilian’s 10th goal in 11 appearances across all competitions proved enough, even after Valverde received a straight red for a late foul on Alex Baena that forced the hosts to see out the final minutes a man short.

“It made things hard for us and we had to suffer a lot,” admitted Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa, who registered his first derby victory since taking charge in January. “We showed mental toughness and strength worthy of this club’s badge.”

Arbeloa introduced Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe from the bench as both players continued their return from recent injuries, but the closing stages became a rearguard action rather than a showcase for star power. Madrid’s back line, marshalled by Antonio Rudiger, repelled a late surge to preserve the win and cap a successful week that began with elimination of Manchester City in the Champions League last 16.

“We’re evolving and working hard so that in games like these Madrid fans can be happy,” Vinicius told Real Madrid TV. “Everyone deserves credit—the coach, the players, the fans.”

The result leaves Atletico a point behind third-place Villarreal, while Barcelona maintained top spot on Saturday with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Rayo Vallecano thanks to an Araujo header and a series of fine saves from goalkeeper Joan Garcia.