Real Madrid beat city rivals Atletico Madrid 3-2 in the Madrid derby at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on Sunday night to claim the title. Ademola Lookman gave the visitors the lead and Vinícius Júnior equalized from the penalty spot early in the second half, before Fede Valverde added the second minutes later. Nahuel Molina then equalized with a long-range shot, but Vinny was at his best and scored the winning goal from the edge of the area, ending the game with 10 men after Valverde was sent off.
three answers
1. Which team will miss their goalkeeper more?
Even a few weeks ago, Andre Lunin and Juan Musso were odds on starting goals in this game, but that was the case at the Bernabeu on Sunday night. Atletico coach Diego Simeone was asked about the issue at his pre-match press conference and replied: “Fans, because two great goalkeepers are missing.” Despite scoring five goals on the night, neither goalkeeper felt their alternatives could do better. Lunin, in particular, had no chance with Ademola Lookman’s close-range goal and Nahuel Molina’s unstoppable rocket from outside the penalty area. To put the icing on the cake, the Ukrainian ended the night by donning the captain’s armband for the first time in his career. With Dani Carvajal being substituted, Fede Valverde being sent off and Vinicius Júnior also sent off, Lunin was the longest-serving player on the pitch and so, in keeping with tradition, took the armband in the absence of the designated captain.
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2. Will Real Madrid change their poor performance in the league derby?
This is Real Madrid’s first derby victory in La Liga since September 2022, and they have met six times in four years. Colchoneros has two wins and four draws in September 2025 and September 2023. In fact, it was the first derby win in the league since December 2021, with Asensio and Benzema scoring twice as the Santiago Bernabeu won 2-0. It was Alvaro Arbeloa’s first derby since arriving at the club and he scored three points against the team he supported as a boy, showing the same enthusiasm he showed when Castilla clashed with former Liverpool team-mate Fernando Torres against Atletico Madrid B. In doing so, he avoided an Atletico double which would have been just the second this century, while Diego Simeone’s side achieved their fourth in 2014/15. historically.
3. Why didn’t Trent Alexander-Arnold start?
Marca claim Trent Alexander-Arnold has been sacked for arriving late for training this week, with Alvaro Arbeloa opting for a strict time-keeping policy. After the game, Arbeloa did not comment on the matter, but insisted that he chose the best team, but his answer did not deny this statement. This seems to be the only logical explanation, as Trent has performed well in recent weeks with no signs of injury, playing 26 minutes without any complications, and will not be traveling with England for the international break after Thomas Tuchel left the right-back out of the squad.
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three questions
1. Is Dani Carvajal not good enough anymore?
It was only Dani Carvajal’s third start since returning from injury, with one of his first two ending in a crushing defeat to Osasuna and the other in which he played just 90 minutes in a routine win over Elche since September. He only lasted 64 minutes but looked below par when he was on the court. Ademola Lookman’s pace and guile got the better of him, failing to win two duels and being dribbled once, and he looked out of shape compared to many others on the field. At 34 years old, with serious injuries over the last 18 months, that’s to be expected. This is the first time Carvajal has played as a substitute against a strong team since the 2-5 defeat in the Madrid derby last September. He was previously sent off in the Champions League game against Marseille. With Trent emerging as the clear replacement and the likes of Fede Valverde and Raul Asensio proving they can fill the spot, there is real debate over whether Carvajal’s contract should be extended beyond this summer, or if his 13-year tenure at the Bernabeu should come to an end.
2. Will Vinny replace Mbappe as the team leader?
With Kylian Mbappe clearly not fully fit yet, this was a perfect opportunity for Vinicius Junior to continue his recent good form at the highest level, and he has done just that. He converted his second consecutive penalty and then won the winner with clever movement and pinpoint finishing. Arbeloa said after the game: “This is another display of talent, courage, fearlessness, making mistakes and trying again, and as I always say, we are very lucky to have his commitment, his talent and his desire to push the team forward.” This is how a coach describes the leader of his team, a leader who seizes the game and turns it around, just like Vinicius did almost single-handedly here. The Brazilian is enjoying his best form in at least two years and may now be regretting the international break. After that, Arbeloa may have to find a way to balance the return of Vinny’s protagonist and Mbappe.
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3. When will Fede Valverde return?
There has been much debate over several of Jose Luis Munuela Montero’s refereeing decisions, but none more controversial than Fede Valverde’s red card for a foul on Alex Baena. Valverde became the first Real Madrid player to be sent off in a La Liga derby against Atletico since Carlos Gomez sent off Sergio Ramos 17 years ago, as the last six red cards in the La Liga match between Atletico and Real Madrid were all shown to Atletico players. “He didn’t kick the ball,” the referee explained to Arbeloa on the touchline. Valverde will now miss the trip to Real Mallorca after the international break and will return in time for the Santiago Bernabeu game against Girona, sandwiched between two Champions League games against Bayern Munich.