Madrid criminal drama, Draw keeps Laliga Title Run tight

Madrid-Real Madrid’s 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid in Saturday’s Derby means there is no change at the top of the table, with only one point still separating the two teams. Julián Álvarez‘s penalty in the first half had Atletico in the hope that they could secure their first victory at Santiago Bernabéu since 2016 but Kylian Mbappé‘s equalization early in the second half meant that visitors had to settle for a point.

Real had the better of the second half as both goalies, Thibaut Courtois and Jan OblakMake important late rescues. Here are three voice points, after a result that leaves Laliga’s title race far open.

1. Criminal Calling Means More Ammunition To Ref -Debat

After all the noise this week – the judge complaints, the open letters, the social media posts – it was time for football. Or was it?

The construction of this derby was dominated by Real’s demand for “structural reform” by judge and Atletico’s criticism of their rivals for putting officials under pressure. So of course, when the game began, it was no different.

Spotlight was of course on Judge Cesar Soto Grado and his was -colleague Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea. There were deafening whistles for the names of both officials when they were read over the stadium Tannoy, pre-match. The only question was: When should the first big decision come? And would they get it right?

In the first half hour of the game, very little happened: It was exactly the game Atletico and Simeone wanted, with not much football and precious few chances. Then the moment of Polémica (Spanish for “controversy”) arrived.

Aurélien Tchouaméniagain to play out of position on centerback, reached for the ball inside the box and seems to catch Samuel Lino‘s foot with his studs. A long, extracted Var-Check followed. Tchouameni had pulled on Lino’s foot, but when the contact came, the ball had gone.

Judge Soto Grado encountered to check the pitchside screen, and as the stadium held his breath – or rather, he whistled loudly – he awarded a penalty for Julian Alvarez cooling to convert, shot the ball down the middle of the goal. It was the first punishment awarded to Real Madrid all season in Laliga, but it will not stop the incident to be discussed and quoted.

At the break there were several whistles when Soto Grado went off the field, but it was just as much a reflection of fan frustration over Real’s performance as something else. In the first half, they had created very little with an XG (expected measure) of only 0.23.

2. Mbappé leads fightback to emphasize its improved form

After the break, Real Madrid looked another side. It only took five minutes in the second half for Mbappé to equalize and hit the ball inside the box, after Jude Bellingham‘s shot had been blocked by defender José María Giménez. Mbappé’s instinctive, confident finish, hit hard into the ground to jump up and former goalkeeper Jan Oblak, was one of a player whose shape continues to curl up.

The France Star now has 23 goals in all competitions this season, with nine of those already coming in 2025. Further proof of his form could be seen in the pre-game as he briefly celebrated with Laliga’s Player of the Month Award.

Mbappé is becoming one of this team leaders, and his reaction to the goal – racing back to the center circle, hungry for more – showed it.

The goal was also a precursor to Madrid’s best spell in the match. Moments later Bellingham went against the cross bar and reached the ball just a fraction of a second in front of Mbappé. Madrid was well on top, but Oblak held Atletico in the game and weathered the storm. Later, Mbappé could have delivered the perfect finale, but he was denied by Oblak in the 89th minute; At the other end, Courtois also saved extra time.

There has been doubts as to whether Mbappé is really “back” considering that his goal since Christmas has mostly come against so -called smaller teams such as Las Palmas, Salzburg and Real Valladolid. That was not the case here, and with Manchester City who came up in the Champions League, there will be two options this month to put this theory to the test.

3. A draw means that both teams – or Barça – could still win Laliga

A win for Real Madrid on Saturday night would have sent them four points clear at the top of the table. It would not have been an invincible lead with 15 games that still had to play, but it would have been a significant. But they couldn’t finish the job in the second half, and the draw means Atletico – who led the table before falling points against Leganés and Villarreal in January – remains a lot in the picture.

Atletico’s performance in the first half at Bernabéu was Vintage Simeone, the team looks almost impossible to collapse. They moved unisont to refuse any room, sometimes with a backline of six players, with wingers Giuliano Simeone and Lino falls back to help defense. In the first half it meant Real Madrid, despite their very exciting “Fantastic Four” attack by Mbappé, Bellingham, Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygolooked toothless.

The second half was less convincing and eventually Atletico Oblak had to thank you for earning them a point.

Hansi Flick’s Barcelona will have looked at with interest after apparently jumping back from their decline in December. A win for Barça on a fighting Seville on Sunday would put them a point behind Atletico and two behind Real, with Barça because of visiting Atletico next month. The prospect of a decent, three -horse tension that goes is now a very real one.