Alvaro Morata brace helps Atletico end Real Madrid’s winning start to season

Alvaro Morata headed a double as Atletico Madrid beat arch rivals Real Madrid 3-1 at the Metropolitano Stadium.

The Spain captain and Antoine Griezmann headed Atletico into a 2-0 first-half lead and although Toni Kroos pulled one back for Real before the interval, Morata struck again at the start of the second period.

Atletico fully deserved a rare LaLiga win in the Madrid derby – they had won only one of their previous 14 league meetings – and halted their rivals’ six-game winning start to the season.

Atletico made a dream start as they stormed into a 2-0 lead inside the opening 20 minutes.

Former Real striker Morata headed them in front in the fourth minute, stealing in behind the away side’s defence to glance home Brazilian winger Samuel Lino’s excellent cross.

After a spell of patient Real possession, Atletico exposed their rivals again out wide to double their advantage.

This time it was Saul Niguez who delivered an inch-perfect cross into the box, from the same left side, which Griezmann headed beyond on-loan Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Atletico almost added a third in the 31st minute when Kepa reacted smartly to keep out Saul’s effort.

An out-of-sorts Real hauled themselves back into it 10 minutes before the break through a piece of individual brilliance from Kroos, who turned neatly inside Marcos Llorente and arrowed a low shot into the bottom corner.

The visitors thought they had equalised just before the break, but the offside Antonio Rudiger was judged to have been interfering with play before Eduardo Camavinga turned the ball home.

Real boss Carlo Ancelotti sent on Joselu in place of Luka Modric for the second half, but his side were stunned inside a minute of the restart when Morata headed Atletico into a 3-1 lead.

FT: @atletienglish 3-1 @realmadriden Morata 4′, 46′, Griezmann 18′; @ToniKroos 35′#AtletiRealMadrid | #Emirates pic.twitter.com/T5J4qnPujM

— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden) September 24, 2023

Another Saul cross from the left picked out the ex-Chelsea striker and he provided another expertly-taken finish.

Atletico’s Mario Hermoso then headed against the crossbar before a triple substitution by Ancelotti saw Ferland Mendy, Nacho and Aurelien Tchouameni replace Fran Garcia, Lucas Vazquez and Camavinga.

Real began to force the issue as they searched for a way back into the match, with Rodrygo and Tchouameni both having efforts blocked and the latter fizzing a shot wide.

Rudiger and Federico Valverde both also fired shots just wide, but it was a night to forget for Ancelotti’ side, with a frustrated Jude Bellingham booked for a crude challenge in stoppage time.

Diego Simeone’s side climbed up to fifth, five points behind third-placed Madrid with a game in hand.