Real Madrid Player Ratings vs. Atletico Madrid: Vinicius Junior's Impact Secures Victory

On Sunday evening, Real Madrid triumphed over their city rivals Atletico Madrid with a thrilling 3-2 victory at the Bernabéu. The decisive goals came from a brace by Vinicius Junior and a powerful strike by Fede Valverde.

Player Ratings

Andriy Lunin – 7

Lunin was kept busy throughout the match, conceding two goals, but ultimately made all the necessary saves expected of him.

Dani Carvajal – 6

Carvajal had a challenging game, lucky to avoid giving away a penalty early on after a contentious challenge on Marcos Llorente. This incident largely encapsulated a difficult outing for the Real Madrid captain.

Antonio Rudiger – 6.5

Atletico Madrid rarely threatened through the central areas of the pitch, a testament to Rudiger's solid defensive presence and ability to deal with what came his way.

Dean Huijsen – 7

Huijsen showed signs of returning to peak form, generally dominating his defensive duties despite a slight misstep that could have been handled better for Atletico's first goal.

Fran Garcia – 6

Garcia faced a tough challenge throughout the match, struggling against Atletico's dynamic right flank, which was effectively manned by Marcos Llorente and Giuliano Simeone.

Fede Valverde – 7

Valverde continued his impressive scoring run, finding the net in the second half after nearly scoring earlier in the game. His night took an unfortunate turn when he received a red card for a challenge on Alex Baena, though Madrid still secured the crucial win.

Aurelien Tchouameni – 7

Tchouameni was instrumental in neutralizing Atletico's central threats. His influence was palpable, and he delivered another strong and impressive performance in midfield.

Thiago Pitarch – 6.5

Pitarch put in a tremendous amount of work during his time on the pitch, leading to his expected early substitution in the second half due to his high energy output.

Arda Guler – 6.5

Guler delivered an impressive display, and will need to maintain this high level of performance to retain his starting spot, especially with Jude Bellingham's return adding competition to the lineup.

Brahim Diaz – 7

Diaz earned Real Madrid's first penalty, which led to their opening goal. His overall performance thoroughly validated the decision to start him ahead of Kylian Mbappe.

Vinicius Junior – 8.5

Vinicius Junior proved decisive once more. He converted a penalty to level the score at 1-1, and then brilliantly netted the late winning goal. His continued impact and form are absolutely crucial for Real Madrid's current success.

Substitutes

Trent Alexander-Arnold – 6.5

Delivered the critical assist for Vinicius's decisive winning goal, showcasing his renowned crossing ability.

Kylian Mbappe – 6

Showed promising sharpness and intent after coming off the bench, adding dynamism to the attack.

Eduardo Camavinga – 6

Contributed with hard work and energy in midfield during his time on the field.

Jude Bellingham – 6

Making his first appearance in nearly two months, Bellingham helped Real Madrid control the game and manage the clock in the closing stages.

Alvaro Carreras – N/A

Introduced late in the match to provide defensive cover following Valverde's red card.