Atletico Madrid served a warning they are ready to mount another serious title challenge whilst plunging Real Madrid into a full-blown crisis with a 2-1 victory at the Bernabeu on Saturday night.
Tiago’s early header and a sweet strike from Arda Turan rendered Cristiano Ronaldo’s first-half penalty leveller redundant, and Real boss Carlo Ancelotti will come under severe pressure in the next few days.
After a chess-like opening few minutes, Atletico took an early lead through an entirely predictable route. Guilherme Siqueira sped down the left to win a corner, Koke delivered towards the near post and Tiago found space away from the hosts’ static defence to convert a simple header.
Real responded well, though, and quickly started to threaten an equaliser as Ronaldo took advantage of the freedom afforded by his team’s 4-4-2 formation by tormenting the visiting back four.
Ronaldo fired a warning shot over the bar after 14 minutes and soon afterwards, delivered a dangerous far post cross which James Rodriguez volleyed into the ground and over the top.
Another run from Ronaldo was ended by a late challenge from Diego Godin, and Atletico keeper Miguel Angel Moya was forced into an excellent diving save to his left from Gareth Bale’s resulting freekick.
The hosts didn’t have to wait long to level, and it was all about Ronaldo as the Portuguese star surged into the box to draw a rash challenge from Siqueira, earning a penalty which he confidently swept into the bottom left corner.
Karim Benzema should have given Real the lead after running onto a precise square pass from Ronaldo, but the Frenchman produced a poor first touch and Moya was able to seize the loose ball.
And inevitably, Ronaldo was again involved in the last chance of the first half, clipping in a delightful cross to Benzema, whose downward header was scrambled away by Moya.
Atletico tightened up considerably in the second half and a pair of speculative and off-target longrange efforts by James and Pepe, as well as a tame header from Bale, were all the hosts could muster before the hour mark.
Both managers made substitutions in an attempt to change the stalemate and they worked decisively in Atletico’s favour, with Turkish midfielder Turan particularly influential as he made his first appearance of the season following injury.
Appropriately enough, Turan proved the matchwinner after fellow substitute Antoine Griezmann released Juanfran, his cross was cleverly dummied by Raul Garcia and Turan was in place to sweep a perfectly placed shot into the corner, giving no chance to Iker Casillas – who was whistled by a significant number of home fans throughout the game.
Real had no answer, with Ronaldo fading from the action, James looking lost and substitutes Isco and Javier Hernandez failing to make an impact.
Indeed, the best remaining chance fell to Atletico, who probably should have had a third goal when Griezmann raced into the penalty area in stoppage time but could only find the side-netting with his shot from a narrow angle.
