First Division - Day 18

Real Madrid 2 - Atlético Madrid 2

Real Madrid: Casillas; Michel Salgado, Hierro, Iván Helguera, Roberto Carlos; Makelele, Flavio Conceiçao (Guti 77'); Figo, Raúl, Zidane (Cambiasso 92'); Ronaldo (Pavón 60'). 4-2-3-1.
Atlético: Mono Burgos; Contra (Stankovic 72'), García Calvo, Hibic, Sergi; Albertini, Emerson; José Mari, Fernando Torres, Luis García (Movilla 50'); Javi Moreno (Aguilera 55'). 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Madrid: Hierro for Pavón / Atlético: Javi Moreno for Jorge.

Goals:
0-1. 11. Javi Moreno (penalty). After Roberto Carlos tripped José Marí in area.
1-1. 33. Figo. Took Salgado pass to beat García Calvo and shoot in off post.
2-1. 44. Figo (penalty). After Roberto Carlos brought down by García Calvo.
2-2. 96. Albertini. Free kick which hit near post and bounced in off Casillas.

An exciting derby match at the Santiago Bernabeu, with Atlético Madrid getting a last second equaliser against city neighbours Real Madrid to draw 2-2 and save a point. It was a match full of expectation, the first league meeting between the two sides in three years, and both sides put out strong line ups, with Hierro returning for the home team and Luis Aragonés putting out an attacking formation which included Javi Moreno, Fernando Torres and José Marí.

The game got off to an electrifying start, with Burgos saving from Flavio in the first minute, Luis García failing to find anyone with a cross and Raúl shooting over the bar from three yards out. In the tenth minute referee Daudén Ibáñez upset the local crowd by awarding a penalty to the visitors which Javi Moreno converted after Roberto Carlos pushed into José Marí, and then two minutes later he left Del Bosque's side with ten men after he sent off Iván Helguera for a tackle from behind on Moreno. Madrid came back though, and Figo ran through García Calvo to beat Burgos and level the scores on the half hour mark. Then just before half time García Calvo chopped down Roberto Carlos in the area, and Daudén awarded another penalty which Figo tucked away.

Atlético came out in the second half looking for the equaliser, and Casillas made two first class saves, the first from José Marí's header and a few minutes later from Contra's shot, which he gathered at the second attempt on the goal line. The numbers were evened up though when the unfortunate García Calvo picked up a second booking, and once again the advantage swung to the home side. Burgos had to fist out a Hierro free kick and Raúl got clear again but was indecisive, and the keeper closed him down.

Then Daudén gave a third penalty after Roberto Carlos was fouled by Aguilera, but Burgos blocked Figo's kick with his face, getting himself a bloody nose into the bargain. It proved to be an important save, as with the last kick of the match Albertini beat Casillas with a free kick which the keeper tipped on to the post, but which bounced back into the net off the keeper as he fell. Atlético had ended Real Madrid's impressive run of seven league wins in a row, and their supporters celebrated as if they had won. A thrilling derby game, and everyone (with the possible exception of Del Bosque) is happy to see the return of the Colchoneros to the top flight.