Madrid Derby Ends in Draw After Disruption

Angel Correa notched a crucial stoppage-time equalizer for Atletico Madrid in the highly-anticipated derby against Real Madrid, a match marred by a 20-minute interruption due to crowd disturbances, BBC reported. The game had previously been disrupted when Real Madrid's Eder Militao opened the scoring in the 64th minute, prompting goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to alert officials about objects being hurled from the stands behind him. The announcement over Atletico's stadium PA system soon followed, and with the referee's intervention, both teams were sent back to their dressing rooms.

To pacify the agitated home crowd, Atletico manager Diego Simeone and several players personally addressed the fans. Once play resumed, Militao's deflected shot seemed poised to secure a Real victory. However, Correa rounded Courtois and sent the ball into the net. Although initially ruled as offside, VAR confirmed the goal was legitimate.

The game saw further drama with Atletico’s Marcos Llorente earning a red card for a harsh challenge on Fran Garcia. Simeone criticized Courtois for provoking fans during his goal celebration, noting that such actions fuel anger. He also called for punishment of those throwing objects while highlighting provocation's role in crowd reactions.

Atletico have pledged cooperation with police to investigate the incident, already identifying one culprit. From Real Madrid’s perspective, manager Carlo Ancelotti supported the match's suspension and maintained a positive view of the late draw, asserting that his team gained a critical point to remain leaders.

Barcelona leads La Liga, three points clear of second-placed Real Madrid, with Atletico close behind. Despite missing Kylian Mbappe due to injury, Real continued an unbeaten league streak of 40 matches, tracing back to their last defeat by Atletico in September 2023. Additional near-miss moments included Jan Oblak’s phenomenal save against Vinicius Jr. and Courtois’ critical block on Samuel Lino, before the match culminated in Correa’s late equalizer and Llorente’s disciplinary exit.

Earlier, SSP wrote that Daniel Ricciardo left a lasting mark on Formula One.