Atletico Madrid Hand Real Madrid First 5-2 Derby Defeat of Season

Real Madrid suffered a significant 5-2 defeat to rivals Atletico Madrid in the Madrid derby, marking their first loss of the 2025-26 season, a result that deeply hurt coach Xabi Alonso and his team. Alonso acknowledged that the defeat was deserved, citing a poor collective performance, lack of intensity, and failure to compete effectively against Atletico's relentless attack. Despite leading the league with six wins before this match, Alonso emphasized the importance of learning from this setback as part of the team's ongoing construction phase and stressed the need to improve and react positively in future games. Atlético's victory was fueled by standout performances from Julian Alvarez, who scored twice including a penalty and a free kick, and veteran Antoine Griezmann, who added a late goal. Alonso's candid reflections highlighted his team's shortcomings in pressing, ball control, and duels, underscoring the harsh reality of derby football and the challenge ahead. He remains optimistic that the lessons from this defeat will help Real Madrid regain their form and continue progressing.