Real Madrid player ratings collapse after Huijsen's red card

Real Madrid's player ratings from the Atletico Madrid derby point to one decisive moment. Dean Huijsen was sent off in the 52nd minute after a challenge on Giuliano Simeone, Alejandro Grimaldo converted the resulting penalty in the 53rd, and Jonathan David added a second in the 59th. The match finished 2-1, with Antonio Rüdiger scoring a late consolation in the 89th.

Courtois and Bellingham stood out

Thibaut Courtois was Real Madrid's clear standout, and Amanda Langell's assessment for SI FC backed that up: "Had it not been for some spectacular saves, the scoreline would have looked much worse." He was rated 7.9, the best mark on the team.

Jude Bellingham was the other bright spot. SI FC gave him 7.9 and siempremadrid.com had him at 7.5, the highest outfield mark on that site. Langell wrote that he made trademark runs into the box, had no service from his teammates, and "channeled his inner defender to help his backline withstand constant pressure."

Quiet nights for Madrid's attack

The rest of the attacking line never really got hold of the game. Kylian Mbappé was rated 5/10 by siempremadrid.com and 6.6 by Goal, while Vinícius Júnior was also rated 5/10 by siempremadrid.com.

That lines up with the broader shape of the match. Real Madrid had 35% possession and only two shots on target in Goal's report, and the first half ended goalless with just one shot on target. Once Huijsen went off, Atlético spent the rest of the afternoon with control of the derby.

The ratings do not flatter Madrid, but they do make the hierarchy obvious. Courtois and Bellingham kept the margins from getting worse, while the forward line spent most of the game on the back foot. Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid is the kind of match where one red card can tilt everything, and this one did exactly that.