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Goals from Raul Garcia and Jose Gimenez made it three-straight wins over Real Madrid this season for Diego Simeone's side. Carlo Ancelotti's side took to the field without Cristiano Ronaldo and almost took an early lead thanks to Sergio Ramos.But although they dominated possession, were unable to make much use of it and it was the hosts who took the lead in the second half. Garcia was brought down by Ramos in the box and the Spaniard calmly slotted away the penalty, before Gimenez doubled the lead from a corner kick with 15 minutes to go.The result now means that Real need a 3-0 win over Atletico in the second leg next Thursday to go through to the quarter finals of the Copa del Rey. Here are the major talking points from the game.
#1 Referee gets big decisions wrong
Refereeing a Madrid derby is never easy. And taking charge of one where close to 45,000 supporters are baying for blood with every single decision you make is a responsibility that not many will enjoy. For the most part though, referee Carlos Clos Gomez got it spot on. Given the number of players on both sides, who are renowned for milking fouls from referee, it certainly wasn't an easy game for one of Spain's most experienced referees.
Although he had good game overall, letting things go and staying patient for a long time, before getting the cards out, he got the big decisions wrong. The decision to award the hosts a penalty, when Raul Garcia was quite clearly pulling Ramos' shirt was certainly a contentious one. But the bigger question is whether Garcia should have even been on the pitch for that long. After what was, a head butt on Sami Khedira early in the game from a corner kick. A sending off there would have made the referee public enemy No.1 but Gomez's decision to let it go meant that the Spaniard went onto be the match winner for the hosts.
#2 Real lack cutting edge
Back-to-back losses against Valencia and Atletico Madrid in the League and the Cup means that Real are still without a win this year. While that isn't something that the fans should be particularly worried about, one thing that must certainly worry about the supporters and Carlo Ancelotti is their inability to create chances.
Apart from Sergio Ramos' header in the first minute, the visitors simply didn't create enough chances and far too often found it difficult to find the right ball in the attacking third. While one goal in two games isn't particularly a bad return, when you consider the fact that they averaged almost four goals per game during their 22-game winning run and 3 goals per game this season, that is certainly something to look at.
#3 Players change but Atletico\'s intensity remains the same
Atletico Madrid's spending spree in the summer means that they now have a much stronger squad than they did last time around. Even still, it was surprising to see that Simeone made seven changes to the side that beat Levante on Saturday. While the side were certainly lacking in a credible threat going forward, they still got the job done as the youngsters who got an opportunity, made the most of it. If there is one thing no one can fault Simeone's sides for, is giving it their all.
And that is precisely what they did against Real, as the relatively inexperienced side, showed plenty of composure and discipline to keep a clean sheet and give the manager a chance to rest some key players ahead of Sunday night's game against Barcelona.
#4 The master and the apprentice shut Real out
While they may not always be the most entertaining and entreprising team to watch, if there is one thing that Atletico are always good at, it is defending. Last season, they had the League's best centre back pairing in Diego Godin and Miranda. This time around, the Brazilian has been replaced by Godin's compatriot Jose Gimenez, who has quickly established a name for himself in the heart of the defence.
Although only 19, Gimenez showed tremendous composure at the back and has flourished playing alongside the excellent Godin, who is without a doubt, one of the best central defenders in Europe at the moment. The two Uruguayans were excellent against Real and showed great understanding, whether it was making crucial tackles at the back or making a nuisance of themselves in the opposing box and showed just why Diego Simeone has continued to keep Miranda out of the side.
#5 Torres finally gets his Real win
Whether it was an emotional or commercial move to bring him back, Fernando Torres showed just what he can bring to the side against Real, as he made his first appearance of his second coming. The Vicente Calderon was rocking, just like it was on Sunday, when 45,000 fans came there for his homecoming. Although he didn't score a goal, there were glimpses of his movement, ability to stretch defences and the pace, that Atletico otherwise lack up front on his return to the club where he announced himself to the world.
Torres also managed to be on the winning side against Real Madrid, a feat he couldn't manage in his nine previous Madrid derbies. While he might not play every game, he showed just why he might still have a big role to play this season.
