Gareth Bale climbed off the bench to score his 100th goal for Real Madrid and help them to a derby day victory that puts them above their neighbours Atletico and into second place in La Liga.
Atletico will complain about a second half VAR call going against them with luckless Alvaro Morata having lobbed the constantly jeered and whistled Thibaut Courtois, but the cold reality is they were well beaten by their still improving city.
MATCH FACTS AND STATS
Atletico: Oblak, Arias, Gimenez, Godin, Hernandez, Correa (Rodrigo 65), Partey, Saul, Lemar (Vitolo 59), Morata (Kalinic 71), Griezmann.
Subs not used: Adan, Luis, Juanfran, Montero.
Goals: Griezmann 25
Bookings: Gimenez, Griezmann, Hernandez, Morata, Saul
Sent off: Parety
Real Madrid: Courtois, Carvajal, Ramos, Varane, Reguilon, Modric, Casemiro, Kroos (Ceballos 84), Vazquez, Benzema (Mariano 89), Vinicius Junior (Bale 57).
Subs not used: Navas, Nacho, Marcelo, Asensio.
Goals: Casemiro 16, Ramos 42, Bale 74
Booked: Vazquez, Reguilon, Modric
Referee: Javier Estrada Fernández
Bale’s goal came when he broke down the left and from Luka Modric’s perfect past scored past Jan Oblak from a tight angle.
The first half had already been a tale of two VAR decisions – one that benefitted Atletico, the other that favoured Real Madrid.
Before the controversy came the unmarked Casemiro to put Real Madrid into the lead.
Toni Kroos had to retake a corner on 16 minutes because the ball was outside the arc. From the retake his floated kick was aimed at Sergio Ramos. The Atletico defenders were drawn to Ramos like moths to a flame and they all got burned when his flick on fell to the unattended Casemiro who scissor-kicked it acrobatically past Oblak.
Real Madrid almost fashioned a second with a brilliant lightning break. It was two superb passes with the outside of the boot and then a disappointing finish.
First Raphael Varane played the ball out of defence, then Vinicius, hurtling down the left, crossed for Lucas Vazquez but he blasted high and wide on the volley.
Simeone was at boiling point on the touchline and was warned by the referee for his complaining. Soon the Atletico coach was jumping in joy not rage.
WATCH HIGHLIGHT
