Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid 1-1: LaLiga – as it happened

The final Madrid derby of the 2024/25 season ends just like the first one, at 1-1 apiece. The LaLiga title race gets ever so close, with just a point separating Real and Atletico at the top of the table.

Barcelona can reduce that gap to just two points between them, if they can beat Sevilla tomorrow.

We hope you enjoyed our coverage of today’s encounter, and on behalf of Kevin Hand, this is Rohan Sharma signing off.

FT: #RealMadridAtleti 1-1

🤝 All square in the Madrid Derby as the #LALIGAEASPORTS title race intensifies! pic.twitter.com/0DnHbH4jQY

— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) February 8, 2025

In what will be a first, Al Jazeera will be live-blogging the Super Bowl tomorrow.

The Kansas City Chiefs, who are hoping to secure a historic three-peat, take on the Philadelphia Eagles.

These two clashed in the 2023 Super Bowl, with the Chiefs winning by a narrow 38-35 margin.

Our live coverage is set to begin at 18:30 GMT, so make sure to tune in!

Greatness 🏆

📺: #SBLIX – Sunday 6:30pm ET on FOX
📱: Tubi + NFL app pic.twitter.com/nyfA5czDpt

— NFL (@NFL) February 8, 2025

Click here to read out match report following the 1-1 draw in the Madrid derby.

They will have to shift focus back to the Champions League, where they take on the Premier League champions in Manchester City.

It will be a tough assignment for Ancelotti’s men, who endured a torrid run in the recently completed Champions League group phase.

That match will take place on February 11.

UNTIL THE END! pic.twitter.com/RaJY1k5hwS

— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) February 8, 2025

Simeone’s men get a well-earned week’s break before taking on Celta Vigo at home on February 15.

La Araña 🤩 pic.twitter.com/RPO1P3IJai

— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) February 8, 2025

Antoine Griezmann becomes just the ninth player in Atletico Madrid’s history to feature in 300 matches.

300 – @AntoGriezmann 🇫🇷 will play his 300th game for @atletienglish 🔴⚪️ in @LaLigaEn (136 goals and 62 assists), becoming the ninth player to reach this figure in the club history in the competition. Prince. pic.twitter.com/vTd9TeSKu9

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) February 8, 2025

With just Ousmane Dembele ahead of him, Kylian Mbappe will look to close the gap in the coming weeks.

9 – Only Ousmane Dembélé (13) has scored more goals than #RealMadrid striker ⚪️⚪️, Kylian Mbappé (9, like Mateo Retegui), among players from teams in the top five European leagues counting all competitions in 2025. Claw. pic.twitter.com/RtWgFTNfif

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) February 8, 2025

That is three straight draws now between these city rivals.

3 – #RealMadrid and #AtléticoDeMadrid have drawn their last three meetings in all competitions, the longest run of draws in this Madrid derby since a run of five between November 1978 and January 1980. Split. pic.twitter.com/KeD0BHrIcF

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) February 8, 2025

Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez, who scored from the penalty spot, spoke after the match: “We knew how to hang in there and had our chances,” Alvarez said. “We are in the fight and will stay in it right to the end.”

“I thought about taking the penalty. I was positive. I felt like I was going to score, and I did. In the game, I didn’t see it [the foul on Samuel Lino in the box]. It seems like he stepped on his foot, so the referee went to his screen and said it was a penalty.

“I am happy with the point, but we wanted to win. It is a good result. We are up there fighting with them. Yes, we had chances, especially in the first half, to score a second goal. In the second half, it was more about holding them, but there were chances for both in the second period. It was an open game.”

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti: “I think we controlled the second half well. We scored and had chances. I think we played a very good second half. First half was different. We were very slow and not aggressive enough.

“The penalty affected the team. After the penalty, and before, we were playing very slow. We didn’t take advantage of the field. In the second half, we opened the field and made it wider, and took advantage of that. We created lots of problems in the second half.

“VAR said it was a penalty. The referee was close to the play and saw it well, but didn’t call a penalty. I saw one stomping another person’s foot at Girona. Some people don’t understand these [calls].”

Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone spoke at the post-match news conference: “In the first half, we played very well. We could have solved them differently in the second half. In the second half, they scored right away, then hit the bar. It was very intense.

“After 20 minutes in the second half, we also had our opportunities. Julian [Alvarez] slipped on one, [Marcos] Llorente a couple of times. At the end, it was a draw. I think both teams thought they could win the game.

“In the first half, we could have solved situations, which we didn’t. We controlled the ball well sometimes. We could have been sharper to find that last pass and score a goal.”

Atletico Madrid’s Marcos Llorente spoke after the match: “It was important to at least pick up a point. Not a decisive game. A lot to be played still. We did many positive things. I have the feeling that we could have won it.

“We had chances. The last pass, we weren’t sharp with that. If you don’t convert those, then it’s hard to win the game.”

Atletico Madrid’s Jose Maria Gimenez spoke with the media after the match: “Very hard game. I think we had chances, but we weren’t clever enough at the end.

“In the second half, it was back and forth – very physical. There was a moment at the end where we could have won it. Now we just need to recover, and there are still a lot of games left.”

Atletico, who had a chance to go past Real as the LaLiga leaders, are now just a point behind their city rivals. Real move to 50 points, while Atletico have 49.

Barcelona’s fixture tomorrow against Sevilla will hold even more importance. If they win, they would move up 48 points, putting them just two points behind Real for the top spot.

With half of the Matchday 23 games completed, here are the updated results:

• Rayo Vallecano 1-0 Valladolid
• Celta Vigo 3-2 Real Betis
• Athletic Club 3-0 Girona
• Las Palmas 1-2 Villareal
• Real Madrid 1-1 Atletico Madrid

Draw at the Santiago Bernabéu. pic.twitter.com/QvGB0WEBX8

— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) February 8, 2025

It is an exact repeat of September’s fixture, right down to the scoreline, as the title race takes another twist.

🏁 @RealMadridEn 1-1 @AtletiEnglish
⚽ 35′ Julián Alvarez (p).
⚽ 50′ @KMbappe
👉 @Emirates pic.twitter.com/KObxqYo2A0

— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) February 8, 2025

Points are shared in a match that will be clouded with controversy once the dust has settled.

With Atletico going ahead on an arguable VAR penalty call, Mbappe was soon able to tie things up after the second half had begun.

Despite Real showing plenty of menace with 23 shots in comparison with Atletico’s 10, they were just unable to get past an inspired Oblak, who put in some wonderful stops.

What is even more telling is that Real had nine shots on target, compared with just one from their opponents.

Full-time: Real Madrid 1-1 Atletico Madrid