Real and Atletico shared the spoils in a finely balanced Madrid derby which simmered along but never really boiled over at the Bernabeu.
Both teams had a handful of decent chances to take all three points, but keepers Thibaut Courtois and Jan Oblak were equal to the task and neither manager can be unhappy with the final outcome.
However, Real coach Julen Lopetegui will be frustrated to have suffered another injury blow, and that leads our three key conclusions from the action.
Bale breaks down again
Gareth Bale, as he has done all season, looked sharp during the first half. The Welsh winger forced Oblak into a save with one well-struck long-range effort, and regularly threatened the Atletico defence with his powerful running.
But he failed to emerge for the second half, replaced by Dani Ceballos having apparently suffered a thigh injury which will have Real fans – and probably senior figures within their club – emitting a frustrated groan and saying: “Not again.”
This is the 20th different injury suffered by Bale during his time at the Bernabeu, and his latest breakdown – especially if it leads to a significant absence – will be an immense source of irritation to the powers-that-be and could even jeopardise his long-term future at the club.
Gareth Bale
Courtois and Oblak set the standard
It’s probably impossible to witness two finer goalkeepers on the same pitch than Thibaut Courtois and Jan Oblak, who showcased their talents and ensured the stalemate by delivering commanding performances.
Former Atletico man Courtois – who now seems to be firmly ensconced as Real’s first choice ahead of Keylor Navas – was initially the busier of the two, making a routine early stop from Saul’s long-range strike before producing more difficult saves to deny Antoine Griezmann and Diego Costa from one-on-one situations.
Oblak was almost too cool for his own good: one occasion he waited too long to make a clearance and it was dangerously blocked by Marco Asensio but bounced safely. Other than that, though, Oblak was faultless with one save at Asensio’s feet particularly important.
Clean sheets at both ends.
Simeone stops the counters
If there was one message delivered by Diego Simeone to his Atletico players before the game, it was surely this: do not allow counter-attacks.
The visiting team, although certainly not playing without attacking intent, did everything possible to ensure they did not give Real any chances to launch quick transitions. The red and white shirts flooded back into defensive positions as soon as they lost the ball, and if necessary more stringent measures were taken such as Saul’s cynical trip on Bale which was lucky to avoid a yellow card.
With Bale in fine form, along with the pace of Asensio and the precision of Karim Benzema and Luka Modric to worry about, it’s fully understandable that Simeone was eager to ensure his men did not get caught short in numbers at the back. And the plan worked to perfection, with Real enjoying plenty of possession but rarely able to penetrate the penalty area.
Diego Simeone
