MADRID, Spain – Club Atlético de Madrid claimed a dramatic 2-1 victory over crosstown rivals Real Madrid CF in an ill-tempered Madrid derby at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, capitalizing on a straight red card issued to defender Dean Huijsen early in the second half to secure all three points, sports correspondents confirmed in Madrid on Sunday night, September 20, 2026.
The triumph on the seventh matchday of the 2026/27 La Liga campaign ignited jubilant celebrations across the home stadium as manager Diego Simeone guided his squad through a nerve-wracking six minutes of stoppage-time pressure following a late consolation header by Antonio Rüdiger.
Okay News reports that a fiercely contested, goalless opening 45 minutes saw tempers flare repeatedly, with referee bookings issued to Jude Bellingham, Marc Pubill, and Cristian Romero as midfield duels threatened to spill over.
The balance of the derby tipped decisively six minutes after the restart when Giuliano Simeone broke free on a one-on-one charge toward goal and was brought down inside the penalty box by Huijsen.
Following a pitchside review summoned by the Video Assistant Referee, the match official confirmed the spot-kick and brandished a straight red card to Huijsen in the 52nd minute, reducing the visitors to 10 men.
Left-back Alejandro Grimaldo stepped forward to mark his birthday in memorable fashion, clinically converting the penalty kick with his right foot in the 53rd minute to beat Thibaut Courtois and send the Metropolitano into raptures.
Atlético doubled their advantage on the hour mark when Giuliano Simeone whipped a teasing cross into the center of the box, allowing Canadian forward Jonathan David to execute a precise left-footed finish into the net before being substituted to a standing ovation moments later.
Real Madrid struggled to regain cohesion as manager Diego Simeone’s side controlled possession, though Jan Oblak was called upon to maintain the two-goal cushion by denying a chipped one-on-one attempt from Ousmane Diomande.
The visitors staged a frantic late offensive in the 89th minute when Rüdiger rose unmarked in the box to power home a header, initiating a tense defensive stand by Atlético deep in their own territory.
Despite heavy late aerial deliveries and continuous offensive pushes from Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior, Atlético held their defensive lines firmly until the final whistle, sealing a memorable derby victory that closes the gap at the upper echelons of the Spanish top flight.
