Without even a minute being up, Torres scored. Pepe misjudged and Griezmann ran in unopposed on Keylor's goal. Upon entering the box the Frenchman cut back and crossed to Torres, who finished like it was his best years. By the way;this was Torres' first competitive goal in the Bernabeu.
Without even a minute being up, Torres scored the first goal in the Madrid derby. Pepe misjudged and Griezmann ran in unopposed on Keylor’s goal. Upon entering the box the Frenchman cut back and crossed to el Niño, who finished like it was his best years. By the way; this was Torres’ first competitive goal in the Bernabéu.
The blow left the Bernabáu cold, but the team recovered quickly. It’s more, we could say they didn’t mind fighting with an arrow in their shoulder, like the valiant lads of the Seventh Cavalry. From the fifth minute to the end of the first half, Madrid put in motion a suffocating, sustained siege. So constant was the bombardment, the strikers ended up hypnotised at the capacity of the red and white defenders to clear the balls they sent in. That’s the only way the repetitive, at times obsessive, tactic can be explained.
Sergio Ramos levelled with a header and Oblak confirmed he’s a good keeper with agoraphobia: he’s terrified of open spaces. There were 70 minutes left and three goals didn’t seem too much for Madrid. Not even the watertight defence of Atlético could withstand such a siege: 14 shots to one in half an hour. But withstand they did.
This spell is where the holders lost their chance. It’s easy to say now that they lacked patience. What’s true is that they lacked a touch of luck and they faced a whole lot of Godín and Miranda.
At the break Cholo’s philosophy won out. He has something up his sleeve for situations of panic, some herbal remedy against fear, some Bielsa trick. It worked again. As if the halves were written on carbon paper, Fernando Torres once again scored before a minute had passed after the restart. A long ball from Sergio Ramos was short and Griezmann once again ran in for the lethal blow. Torres cut back and beat a transparent Keylor to kill the tie off. El Niño doesn’t need any more now in his script to make a good film.
Cristiano equalised on the night eight minutes later, but not even the most optimistic fans imagined Madrid could find another three. The remainder of the game was enjoyed solely by Atlético, who went looking for the win and weren’t far away from getting it. Their rivals, meanwhile, were only fighting for dignity, something Isco put very much in question with a terrible challenge.
Atleti face Barcelona now, that’s Madrid’s only consolation, the hope their principal rivals tear each other to pieces in the coming two weeks. A sad consolation for a team that aspired to everything and now can't.