Grimaldo penalty, Huijsen red card give Atlético Madrid 2-1 derby win

Atlético Madrid defeated Real Madrid 2-1 at the Metropolitano on September 20, 2026, in a Madrid derby decided by an early second-half red card and penalty.

The turning point came in the 48th minute when Real Madrid defender Dean Huijsen, 21, was sent off for fouling Atlético forward Giuliano Simeone. Huijsen was caught out of position when Simeone attacked the space behind the defensive line; the defender caught Simeone's arm and brought him down inside the area. Referee Miguel Ángel Ortiz Arias initially showed a yellow card and awarded a penalty, but VAR reviewed the incident and determined Huijsen was the last defender, upgrading the card to red. Alejandro Grimaldo converted the penalty in the 53rd minute, shooting low past goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to give Atlético a 1-0 lead.

With a numerical advantage, Atlético extended their lead to 2-0 through Jonathan David, who finished from close range after receiving a pass from Giuliano Simeone on the right flank. Real Madrid pulled one back but could not equalize. The loss marked another defeat for Real Madrid at the Metropolitano, where they have not won since September 18, 2022. During the half-time interval, tensions flared between both coaching staffs; Pablo Vercellone (Atlético's goalkeeper coach) and Pedro Machado (Mourinho's assistant) received red cards and were barred from the bench during the second half.

The first half was tightly contested with little fluidity from either side. Real Madrid registered only one shot on target through Arda Güler in the 40th minute. Atlético's Kang-in Lee created the best chance of the opening period when he closed down a right-wing cross. After Huijsen's expulsion, Real Madrid manager José Mourinho withdrew Vinícius and Güler in an attempt to reorganize the team, but Atlético's dominance in possession and numbers proved decisive.