(foto: Getty Images)
Jan Oblak's outstanding performance helped Atletico Madrid secure a 1-1 draw against Real Madrid, earning him Man of the Match honors as Barcelona benefits from the result.
The Madrid derby delivered another thrilling chapter as Real Madrid hosted Atletico Madrid in a clash of La Liga’s top contenders. While the home side dominated much of the game, it was Jan Oblak who stole the spotlight with a string of crucial saves, earning him the Man of the Match title from Sofascore.com.
The match unfolded as expected, with Atletico sticking to their classic 4-4-2 formation, allowing Real to control possession early. However, it was the visitors who struck first. In the 34th minute, Julian Alvarez converted a penalty after a 'fortunate' foul call against Aurélien Tchouaméni—a decision Real Madrid fans and players found hard to accept.
Real responded aggressively in the second half, and in the 50th minute, they leveled the score. Rodrygo whipped in a cross, Jude Bellingham's shot was blocked, but the rebound fell to Kylian Mbappe, who fired past Oblak with a powerful strike.
Two minutes later, Vinicius Junior rattled the crossbar, and Rodrygo continued to trouble the Atletico defense alongside Bellingham. However, Oblak stood tall, producing several key saves to keep Atletico in the game. In the 80th minute, Eduardo Camavinga and Luka Modrić came on for Lucas Vázquez and Dani Ceballos, while Diego Simeone introduced Alexander Sørloth.
In the 82nd minute, Rodrygo danced through the defense and fired after a clever pass from Vinicius, but his shot lacked precision. Atletico held firm, securing a hard-fought draw.
The result leaves the standings at the top unchanged, with Real Madrid holding onto first place and Atletico Madrid in second. The real winners, however, might be Barcelona, sitting third and now poised to close the gap in the next round.