It is 13 years since these two managers met in this fixture, their last time the night Atl\u00e9tico won the Cup at the Santiago Bernab\u00e9u. Then, Mourinho was sent off and didn\u2019t collect his medal from the king. His return has been driven by nostalgia and it was like old times in the press room. He and Simeone are \u201ccompanions of war\u201d, he had said, and so it was.<\/p>\n
It was not until the 39th minute that there was a shot on target when Atl\u00e9tico\u2019s Jan Oblak pushed Arda Guler\u2019s long-range effort away. Otherwise, there was little football but it had been heating up from the beginning, Guler the first to confront the referee after a foul by \u00c1lex Baena. To which he responded by fouling Baena back. From the bench, something was said and Diego Simeone was booked; the scene had been set.<\/p>\n
Atl\u00e9tico probed from wide, almost always the right wing. An advance on that side led to Ibrahima Konat\u00e9 doubting and Giuliano Simeone flashing wide. At the other end Vin\u00edcius J\u00fanior shot over twice before the half\u2019s most significant moment. Which, appropriately, was not about the play.<\/p>\n
Jude Bellingham slid in to tackle Romero and the referee showed him a yellow. Bellingham, his teammates and the bench were incensed and the video assistant referee was engaged. The referee Miguel \u00c1ngel Ortiz, struggling to control this, went to the screen where he saw Romero\u2019s studs hit Bellingham\u2019s knee. The decision was reversed, the Englishman\u2019s yellow taken away and shown to the Argentinian instead. The hosts still felt it should have been red for Bellingham. When Lee\u2019s studs went in on Federico Valverde\u2019s ankle, Real did too. Confrontations continued, words exchanged, but chances didn\u2019t come. At half-time Atl\u00e9tico\u2019s goalkeeper coach and Real\u2019s assistant were sent off.<\/p>\n
The second half began with Koke introduced and Baena forcing a save. It was Atl\u00e9tico\u2019s first shot on target and the start of a different game. Their second soon after gave them the lead and an advantage that was even bigger. A long ball from David Hancko dropped into the run of Simeone and as he dashed into the area Huijsen dragged him down. Ortiz pointed to the spot. He was also called to the screen again \u2013 not to overturn the penalty but to change the colour of the card. Huijsen walked, Grimaldo scored and the Metropolitano exploded.<\/p>\n
Real Madrid\u2019s Dean Huijsen fouls Giuliano Simeone leading to a penalty and a red card for the defender. Photograph: Juan Carlos Lucas\/Zuma Press Wire\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n
You suspected Mourinho would too. First, he removed Guler and Vin\u00edcius to introduce Yan Diomand\u00e9 and R\u00fcdiger. Vin\u00edcius had done little and a readjustment was required but there have been times when decisions like this \u2013 the Brazilian\u2019s removal in last year\u2019s cl\u00e1sico was the beginning of the end for Xabi Alonso \u2013 have caused splits. It did not improve things either. Instead, Real were oddly passive and Atl\u00e9tico doubled the lead. It came from the right where Lee, outstanding, worked the ball to Simeone. His low cross, bent behind Madrid\u2019s back four, was perfect. Six yards out, David turned it in.<\/p>\n
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