Griezmann decides Madrid derby in Atletico's favour

Typical derby

It was a typically intense start with little space on either side at the Bernabeu. Atletico took game to the hosts early on pressuring them into mistakes, but slowly Zinedine Zidane’s men took control of the ball and the visitors were penned into their own area. Cristiano Ronaldo struck a fierce freekick straight at Jan Oblak after 32 minutes, but Los Blancos struggled to penetrate the massed Rojiblanco ranks.

Navas saves

Atletico returned to the charge just before halftime. Antoine Griezmann worked an opening and from outside the area curled a shot towards the top corner which was acrobatically tipped over by Keylor Navas. Moments later Koke forced the Costa Rican into a smart save at his near post.

Griezmann break-through

Cristiano Ronaldo fired wide when well-placed just after the restart but it was Atletico who set the game alight. Griezmann and Filipe Luis combined down the left and when the Brazilian pulled the ball back into the feet of Atletico’s number 7, the Frenchman fired low inside the near post for his 13th in the Liga BBVA.

58' | 0-1 | He carried the ball, @FilipeLuis supported him and he scored. Huge @AntoGriezmann! #RealMadridAtleti pic.twitter.com/fl4b60T7Pq

— Atleti English (@atletienglish) February 27, 2016

Madrid fightback

Zidane had surprisingly turned to youth team striker Boja Mayoral at halftime in place of Karim Benzema but the best chances for the hosts continued to fall to Ronaldo. The Portuguese forward headed straight at Oblak midway through the second half though the league’s top scorers were finding it tough to open the league’s tightest defence.

Atletico pull clear

The victory moved Diego Simeone’s side four points clear of Real Madrid in second place and gave them the head-to-head should the side’s finish level on points at the end of the season (The teams drew 1-1 at the Calderon earlier in the season). For Zidane, it was his first defeat since taking the helm in January.