Ancelotti escapes with point

Atletico Madrid won the battle in yesterday’s Spanish capital ‘derbi’ with a stirring and gutsy performance which skirted the lines of law at times.

But Real Madrid are still more likely to win the war after Cristiano Ronaldo’s late strike saw his side escape with a fortunate 2-2 draw.

Atletico recovered from conceding early when Karim Benzema was unmarked to sweep in from a corner, showing huge desire and aggression to push Madrid further and further back, and two superbly struck goals from Koke and Gabi had them ahead at the break. The majority of the 55,000 at Atletico Madrid’s Estadio Vicente Calderon spent much of the second half howling at decisions made by Basque referee Carlos Delgado Ferreiro, and groaning at misses from home centre-forward Diego Costa.

Then Ronaldo popped up eight minutes from time to ram home an undeserved equaliser, getting his side a point which Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti was treasuring after the game.

“We have drawn a game in which we were losing,” a relieved Ancelotti said. “Our reaction was good. In general we can be satisfied as Atletico are a very good team. And we are still the leaders.”

Ancelotti could afford to take a wider view, with the result stretching his team’s unbeaten run to 28 games. The point at their title rivals also continued the turnaround in Madrid’s fortunes over recent months.

His side lost to both Atletico and Barcelona in the autumn, then stumbled through December conceding poor goals and dropping easy points, and were five points adrift of the top over Christmas.

But Los Blancos have now won seven and drawn two of their nine La Liga games in 2014, scoring 24 goals and conceding just five. Meanwhile their title rivals have been losing against teams like Valencia, Real Sociedad, Almeria and Osasuna. The momentum has clearly shifted in the title race, and Madrid are now the clear bookies’ favourites for the trophy.

Even still, yesterday’s performance should give Ancelotti plenty of food for thought. While the three- man front line of Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo has been banging in the goals and getting most of the headlines, the catalyst for Madrid’s upswing in fortunes was Ancelotti ‘balancing’ the team with a midfield trio of Xabi Alonso, Angel Di Maria and Luka Modric after the winter break.

Benzema and Ronaldo did their job again (while Bale was swallowed up the frenzy) at the Calderon, but the midfield trio were outfought, and outplayed for long periods by Atletico’s Gabi, Koke and Arda Turan.

“We wanted to play, but Atletico made the game very tough,” Ancelotti admitted. “It was not easy to come through it. They wanted to make the game physical and that was difficult for us. People might see the line-up as a mistake, but nobody thinks about the 11 more than me.”

Other sides will have noted though, how Modric and Di Maria (an attacking midfielder and winger by inclination) were swept aside by Atletico’s greater intensity for long periods, and the defence creaked loudly. Even better teams, with even bigger midfields, could do even more damage to Madrid’s centre. Then, further forward, Ronaldo et al might not see much of the ball.

The Madrid-view last night was that Simeone’s side had stepped over the line with their ‘physicality’, while Atletico’s fans could not believe the two clear looking penalties which went unwhistled.

Simeone clearly shared their frustration, but would not let it out post-game.

“What counts is the result,” he said through gritted teeth. “The team showed today it is alive. That might bother some, but it’s still alive. I am proud of these men who play against everything.”

Atletico had given everything, but come up just short of the win they needed. Madrid are far from perfect, but remain on course for the La Liga title.