Atlético battle bravely in the shadow of Real giants

DERBY DAYS:It is almost 10 years since Atlético Madrid defeated their more illustrious city rivals, Real, in the Spanish league, La Liga

NEXT TUESDAY, Real Madrid will visit Liverpool hoping to reverse last week’s 1-0 defeat in the first leg of the second round of the Champions League. Before that game, however, the Spanish giants face another season-defining moment.

On Saturday, the club play hosts to their city rivals in La Liga. While not intended, Atlético Madrid did their neighbours a huge favour last Sunday. In a dramatic clash at the Vicente Calderon, the home side came from 2-0 down to overcome Barcelona 4-3 – with Argentinian sensation Sergio Agüero firing home the late winner.

The Catalans sit just four points ahead of Real. Three weeks ago, they were 12 clear and Real were focused on the Champions League. Now, though, it’s game on in the domestic league.

However, victory in el derbi madrileñenever comes easy.

Despite the two Madrid clubs being founded in the first years of the 20th century (and Atlético being boosted early on by the defection of many disgruntled members of Real), the sides didn’t meet until the third round of the 1929 League Championship – the first edition of what it now La Liga. And it was another 30 years before the local derbies would become international news.

When the European Cup (now the Champions League) was first held in 1955-56, Real Madrid had a quick answer to any question concerning the strongest club in Europe. Their wonderfully gifted side – which included Alfredo di Stéfano, Héctor Rial and Francisco Gento – defeated Servette, Partizan, Milan and Stade Reims on their way to claiming the European crown.

By the time the Madrid giants clashed in the semi-final of the 1959 European Cup, Real had already collected the top prize in each of the first three seasons of continental competition. They were the pride of half of Madrid and everyone in the Franco regime – which was the root cause of much bitterness between the clubs.

With Spain isolated in the political world, Real's success on the playing fields of Europe from the 1950s ensured the club the gratitude of Franco and the loathing of Atlético fans, who coined the chant: Real Madrid, Real Madrid, el equipo del gobierno, la verguenza del país(the government's team, the country's shame).

After finishing just three points behind champions Real at the end the 1957-58 Spanish top-flight, Atlético entered the 1958-59 European Cup competition determined to prove their worth on the international stage.

And so it was, perhaps, not the ideal time for an Irish side to be drawn against them. In the first round, Atlético Madrid played hosts to Drumcondra, with the home side scoring six goals during the second half for an 8-0 win in blistering heat at the Metropolitan Stadium.

In the second leg, Séamus Devlin was sufficiently impressed by the visitors to write in The Irish Timeson October 2nd, 1958: Without unduly taxing their energies or their skill, Atlético Madrid, the team with a £500,000 price tag, defeated Drumcondra by five goals to one at Dalymount Park yesterday . . . It would be pleasant to record the fact that Drumcondra had put up a tremendous performance, but quite frankly I rather thought that the visitors, having added two first-half goals to their Madrid total, were content to rest on their laurels . . . They used the ball sparingly but with absolute calm, and but for a surprisingly good display by (Maurice) Swan, the Drumcondra goalkeeper . . . they would have had a lot more to show at the finish.

Vavá, the Brazilian centre forward – who in 1962 would become the first player to score in two World Cup finals – played in both legs, and the gifted striker would be instrumental in pushing Atlético to the quarter-finals, where they demolished Schalke 04, 3-0, in front of 110,000 supporters at the Bernabéu. Real were also blazing a path through European competitors – beating Austria’s Wiener Sportclub 7-1 in the quarter-final at the same venue, and di Stéfano accounting for four of the home side’s goals.

The semi-final would be billed as the ultimate clash between the Brazilian Vavá and Argentinian di Stéfano, but it was Rial and the legendary Hungarian Ferenc Puskás who would score for Real in the first leg at the Bernabéu, with Chuzo replying for Atlético.

The return leg, at the smaller but equally noisy Estadio Metropolitano, witnessed a single goal – by Spaniard Enrique Collar.

The subsequent play-off, staged at the recently-inaugurated La Romareda in Zaragoza, resulted in di Stéfano finally pushing Real past their rivals on a 2-0 scoreline.

Atlético had lost their chance to defeat their illustrious neighbours on an international stage, but had won many plaudits from outside observers.

Real went on to claim the European crown again, and the following season surely the greatest ever club side claimed a fifth consecutive European Cup: in the 1960 final, Real defeated Eintracht Frankfurt 7-0, with Puskás scoring four goals and di Stefano the other three.

Atlético gained some revenge by defeating Real in the following two Copa del Generalísimo (now Copa del Rey) finals, with The Irish Timesrecording on June 27th, 1960, that: General Franco was among the 120,000 spectators who watched the match.

Real’s success (31 league titles) has resulted in the club being inextricably linked with the wealthy elite of Spain, while Atlético have prided themselves on representing the city’s working class. The divisions may not hold true any more, but perceptions can last much longer.

It is almost 10 years since Atlético defeated Real in the league – a 3-1 victory ensuring wild celebrations by the visiting fans at the Bernabéu. Atlético, however, finished that season second from bottom and were relegated to the Segunda. Atlético will be hoping for a similar result this weekend – though without the subsequent relegation.

After last weekend's shock result, the Champions League-spot-chasing club will not want to be responsible for helping Real to another La Liga title. Real Madrid will be chasing an 11th consecutive league victory this weekend, but if Agüero, Luis García, Diego Forlán and Co manage to beat the Spanish giants, they can write themselves into the illustrious history of el derbi madrileñeand into the hearts of Atlético fans.

Real Madrid v Atlético Madrid

Saturday, kick-off – 7pm (Irish-time)

Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid

Live on Sky Sports 3