Madrid Derby: where the rock and roll begins

The last time a derby was played at the Metropolitano, it was marked by Julián Álvarez’s penalty taken with a double touch – whether accidental or deliberate depending on your colors, white or red-and-white. That was back in March, in the Champions League. In La Liga, the most recent memory is of lighters raining down on Courtois’s goal, forcing a 20-minute stoppage. The tension, or “passion,” as Xabi Alonso calls it, is always guaranteed.

This is also the first high-profile game of the season for both teams, courtesy of La Liga’s “guided” draw, which allows the giants to enjoy a sort of extended preseason at the start. Atlético are the exception, having already faced Villarreal, now sitting third.

While Madrid have made the most of that soft landing to win six out of six, Atlético have already dropped nine points. The excuse is that Diego Simeone is still adjusting to a complete squad overhaul, with eight departures (Lino, Riquelme, Correa, Witsel, Lemar, Reinildo, Azpilicueta and De Paul) and eight arrivals (Baena, Almada, Hancko, Cardoso, Ruggeri, Pubill, Raspadori and Nico González). The outlay – $187 million – was identical to what Madrid spent on just four players: Mastantuono, Carreras, Huijsen and Trent.

Simeone, a religion in red and white

Simeone’s credibility remains untouched despite results and the passing years. He arrived in 2011, during which time Madrid have gone through eight coaching changes (with Ancelotti and Zidane each returning for a second spell). For Atlético, trust in Simeone has become a religion. Since his arrival the club has spent exactly the same on transfers as Madrid – $1.62 billion, according to Transfermarkt – and has lifted nine trophies (including two Europa Leagues and two La Ligas) compared with Madrid’s 29 (among them, five league titles and six Champions Leagues). “I still believe 200% in Simeone,” club CEO Gil Marín declared this week.

Atlético come into the derby on the back of a last-gasp win over Rayo Vallecano and hoping that a good result here can serve as a springboard. That other derby also had a protagonist: Julián Álvarez, who answered critics with a hat-trick after cameras had caught him muttering “always me” following a substitution in Mallorca. Vinícius Júnior has gone through something similar, although he didn’t mutter – he threw a bottle down in fury and raised his arms. Against Levante, Vinícius, like Álvarez versus Rayo, was the standout player and scored what will surely be one of the season’s most beautiful goals. Both arrive at this derby oscillating between grievance and redemption.

Mbappé’s unstoppable start

Álvarez and Vinícius will be in the spotlight, with one caveat: Kylian Mbappé is sweeping all before him. His numbers even surpass Cristiano Ronaldo’s at this stage. He has scored in five of the first six league matches – seven goals in total – and the only game he didn’t was against Mallorca, where two of his strikes were ruled out for fractional offsides. His last goal, against Levante, has barely been discussed, yet it perfectly illustrates the authority with which this sharper, more explosive Mbappé now moves on the pitch – a prodigy of strength, technique and determination. It was identical to one Ronaldo used to score so often, but the other Ronaldo – the Brazilian phenomenon.

Xabi Alonso’s Madrid takes shape

Simeone and Xabi Alonso are not entirely new to facing each other – they have already clashed twice in the Champions League. In the most recent meeting in January, Bayer Leverkusen failed to beat an Atlético side reduced to ten men after Barrios’s 23rd-minute red card. In their first meeting in 2022, Xabi earned a valuable 2-2 draw. Now, though, the Basque coach is in charge of the biggest juggernaut in world football, and he has taken the helm with authority. His main achievement has been to involve every player in the squad. Every outfield player has been used, and all feel important, apart from long-term absentees. The only one still waiting to make his debut is Endrick.

The “rock and roll” promised in his unveiling has not yet hit full volume, but the first-half performance against Real Sociedad (until Huijsen’s harsh sending-off) and the full 90 minutes at Levante suggest the fun is coming soon. Xabi still has one major adjustment ahead – bringing Jude Bellingham into the starting lineup. Like Mbappé, Vinícius and now Mastantuono (a starter five times in seven games), Bellingham will clearly be a fixture in the big festivals. But it still seems too early. That welcome dilemma will come after the derby.

Xabi has built this project on two cornerstones: Mbappé’s blistering form and defensive solidity. Without talking too much about “balance” or “energy,” he has ensured every player runs hard in defense, even Mbappé. The result: Madrid have conceded just three goals (the same as Barcelona, compared with Atlético’s seven). Of those, only Etta Eyong’s strike for Levante came from open play; the others were from set pieces – Muriqi from a corner and Oyarzabal from the spot. That message Xabi delivered early on, “whoever deserves to play will play,” has struck home.

Tonight at the Metropolitano, Xabi is set to unleash the trident of Mastantuono, Mbappé and Vinícius, with Arda Güler joining Tchouaméni and Valverde in midfield. Simeone’s doubts lie at left-back – the security of Hancko or Ruggeri’s greater attacking threat – and above all, who will partner Julián Álvarez up front, Griezmann or Raspadori. Koke, meanwhile, will equal Ramos as the player with the most derbies in history. The only absentees are Trent, Mendy, Almada, Cardoso and Giménez. This is the first major showdown of the season. Yes, the “rock and roll” is about to begin.