Real Madrid Player Ratings vs. Atletico Madrid: Vinicius Jr Seals Frenetic Derby Comeback

Los Blancos claimed their first league win over Diego Simeone’s men since 2022.

Vinicius Junior bagged a brace against Atlético Madrid. | Bruno Penas/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

Real Madrid rallied back twice to defeat Atlético Madrid 3–2 on Sunday evening, extending their winning streak to five matches across all competitions.

The 15-time European champions went down the tunnel trailing at halftime after Ademola Lookman put the visitors up 1–0 just past the half-hour mark. Álvaro Arbeloa’s men got back into the game after the restart, all started by Vinicius Junior converting a successful spot kick in the 52nd minute.

Federico Valverde then joined in on the action, thundering a powerful right-footed strike into the back of the net to give Real Madrid the 2–1 lead. Nahuel Molina answered with a sensational goal from distance, only to be upstaged by a brilliant curling finish from Vinicius Jr in the 72nd minute.

Los Blancos protected their lead—even when Valverde was controversially sent off in the 77th minute—to collect all three points in front of an impassioned crowd at the Bernabéu. The Spanish giants remain four points behind bitter rivals Barcelona in the fight for the La Liga crown.

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One Thing We Can’t Ignore

Trent Alexander-Arnold did not get the nod over Atlético Madrid. | Alex Dodd/CameraSport/Getty Images

Arbeloa turned heads when he benched Trent Alexander-Arnold on Sunday night. Reports out of Spain claimed the decision was a disciplinary action after the Englishman showed up late to training in the build-up to the all-important fixture.

Dani Carvajal got the nod in his place and was not up to the task. The veteran was once again caught out in defense—and his team paid the price. The Spaniard was inexplicably in the middle of the park when a clever ball unleashed Lookman down the right flank in the first half.

As Valverde and Antonio Rüdiger raced to close the speedy midfielder down, Carvajal was out for a leisurely jog to his own 18-yard-box. Once he finally arrived to the action, the 34-year-old was more interested in hovering around the penalty spot—marking nothing but air—as Lookman freely buried the game’s opening goal.

For all his defensive faults, Alexander-Arnold is still the more trustworthy option inside his own half than Carvajal these days. The six-time Champions League winner simply no longer has the pace, stamina or feel for the game to come up big against dangerous players.

Plus, there is simply no denying the attacking prowess Alexander-Arnold gives the team. The England international was on the pitch for eight minutes before he supplied Vinicius Jr with the delicious ball that ultimately set up the match-winner.

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Real Madrid Player Ratings vs. Atlético Madrid (4-4-2)

Vinicius Junior put the team on his back once again. | Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto/Getty Images

*Ratings Provided by FotMob*

GK: Andriy Lunin—6.7: Let down by his defense in the first half and had no chance of stopping Molina’s strike. Still, made several key saves to keep his side in the game, including one in stoppage time.

RB: Dani Carvajal—6.7: Should never start a game of this magnitude. Completely outclassed by Lookman, had poor positioning all night and looked wildly disinterested in getting back in transition.

CB: Antonio Rüdiger—6.5: Needed to do more to close down Lookman and Matteo Ruggeri in the build-up to the game’s opening goal. Recovered well in the second half.

CB: Dean Huijsen—7.2: Put in a redemptive Madrid derby performance after his dismal outing in the reverse fixture. Helped hold starting strikers Antoine Griezmann and Julián Alvarez to a combined one shot on target.

LB: Fran García—6.7: Giuliano Simeone won the battle against him on the left flank, but he hunkered down and held his own when it mattered most.

RM: Federico Valverde—7.7: Truly enjoying his license to roam. Denied by the woodwork in the early stages but he made up for it with a goal in the second half. Controversially sent off for a challenge that was in no way a straight red.

CM: Aurélien Tchouaméni—7.6: Bossed the midfield and even managed a few decent chances at goal. Looks wildly more comfortable with Pitarch closing down gaps at his side.

CM: Thiago Pitarch—6.6: Committed a few errant passes and fouls, but his willingness to press, cover ground and recycle possession helped Real Madrid control much of the game.

LM: Arda Güler—7.4: A wayward volley was the highlight of a rather quiet outing for Güler. Hardly put a foot wrong with the ball at his feet, but once again failed to leave any mark on the game.

ST: Brahim Díaz—7.5: Had decent link-up play and won the penalty that got Real Madrid back into the game.

ST: Vinicius Junior—9.0: Buried another cool finish from the spot and bagged his brace with a sensational curling strike. Once again put the team on his back in a must-win game.

SUB: Kylian Mbappé (63’ for Pitarch)—6.6: Any hopes of scoring in his La Liga return were dashed when Real Madrid went down to 10 men. Did well to strike in transition to help his side get to the final whistle.

SUB: Trent Alexander-Arnold (64’ for Carvajal)—7.3: Only needed eight minutes to create the match-winning moment for Real Madrid. The right flank belongs to him moving forward.

SUB: Eduardo Camavinga (74’ for Güler)—5.9: Had little influence.

SUB: Jude Bellingham (74’ for Díaz)—6.2: Had some flashes going forward, but his efforts were needed in defense to see through the game.

SUB: Álvaro Carreras (87’ for Vinicius Jr)—N/A

Subs not used: Fran González (GK), Sergio Mestre (GK), David Alaba, Diego Aguado, Manuel Ángel, Franco Mastantuono, Gonzalo García.

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What the Ratings Tell Us

Federico Valverde continued his blistering form in front of goal. | Burak Akbulut/Anadolu/Getty Images

• Federico Valverde is on another level under the leadership of Arbeloa. The Uruguayan is no longer pigeonholed into playing right back or sitting deep in the midfield; he now has the green light to surge forward and get more involved in the attack, resulting in six goals in his last five appearances.
• Jude Bellingham’s return breathes new life into Real Madrid. The England international will be key for the team’s silverware ambitions to close out the season and he will get his place back in the XI, likely at the expense of Arda Güler.
• There is a left back battle unfolding at Real Madrid. Fran García’s recent outings impressed Arbeloa, so much so that Álvaro Carreras has suddenly found himself on the bench even after returning from injury. Ferland Mendy further complicates matters when he is healthy, leaving Carreras’s once undisputed spot on the left flank completely uncertain.

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The Numbers That Explain Real Madrid’s Dramatic Win

Álvaro Arbeloa secured his first victory over Diego Simeone. | Alex Livesey/Danehouse/Getty Images

• Real Madrid rallied 17 shots at Atlético Madrid keeper Juan Musso, much of the reason why they outperformed their 2.42 xG.
• Instead of getting frustrated by the visitors’ 15 fouls, Los Blancos kept their cool and kept pushing forward, dancing through Atlético Madrid’s tackles to punish their opponents.
• Arbeloa’s men bossed the game in the midfield, where they completed many of their 508 passes on the night despite only maintaining 52% possession.

Statistic	Real Madrid	Atlético Madrid
Posession	52%	48%
Expected Goals (xG)	2.42	1.00
Total Shots	17	13
Shots on Target	10	7
Big Chances	4	2
Pass Accuracy	91%	89%
Fouls	2	15
Corners	4	1

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