Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid: H2H, Watch Live, Madrid Derby History & More
While El Clasico dominates the landscape in La Liga, the Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid derby holds a special place in the hearts of Madrid football fans.
The rivalry dates back to the early 1900s and has since provided numerous thrilling moments, talking points and its fair share of controversies.
We take a closer look at Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid including the H2H (stats correct – July 15, 2024) how to watch La Liga live, the history of the Madrid derby and more.
Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid H2H
The two sides have met on 236 previous occasions in competitive matches, with Madrid winning 116, Atletico 59 and 61 draws.
Madrid also have the advantage in the La Liga title H2H by 36-11, while their record tally of 15 Champions League titles leaves Atletico (zero) trailing in their wake.
Notable Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid Results
- Real Madrid 3-6 Atletico Madrid – La Liga – November 1950
- Real Madrid 2-1 Atletico Madrid – European Cup – May 1959
- Atletico Madrid 2-0 Real Madrid – Copa del Rey – June 1992
- Real Madrid 1-3 Atletico Madrid – La Liga – October 1999
- Real Madrid 2-2 Atletico Madrid – La Liga – January 2003
- Atletico Madrid 1-4 Real Madrid – La Liga – April 2012
- Atletico Madrid 2-1 Real Madrid – Copa del Rey – May 2013
- Real Madrid 4-1 Atletico Madrid – Champions League – May 2014
Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid Live Streams
If you have a suitable digital device and a stable Wi-Fi connection, it is really easy to find live streams of Madrid derby matches.
Premier Sports have the rights to La Liga in the United Kingdom, while fuboTV, beIN SPORTS and ESPN+ are great options for fans in international markets.
If you are unfortunate enough to find a geo-blocked live stream, Virtual Private Network (VPN) technology is the best way to circumnavigate this issue.
One of the most reliable services is Express VPN, which can be downloaded to various devices including Android, iOS, Fire TV, PC, Mac and smart TVs.
Madrid Derby History
As with many football rivalries around the world, the Madrid derby is a battle with its roots in cultural identity and the quest for regional supremacy.
Los Blancos have largely been the dominant force in Madrid, but Atletico have enjoyed several periods where they have had the upper hand.
The balance of power was very much in Atletico’s favour after the Second World War, with the club having the pick of the best players from the military.
However, Alfredo Di Stefano’s addition to the ranks in 1956 had a transformational impact on Madrid’s fortunes, helping them achieve a ton of success at home and abroad.
The two clubs had several epic meetings around this time, but Madrid gradually gained the upper hand by winning eight titles in 10 years in the 1960s.
They added another six during the following decade to hammer home their advantage before adding several more in the 1980s and 1990s.
Atletico began to feel the pinch, and financial issues eventually resulted in the club dropping into the second tier around the turn of the millennium.
They battled their way back into the top flight after a couple of seasons and have since re-established themselves as a force in La Liga.
While Madrid have still dominated in terms of winning major silverware, Atletico have proved troublesome in numerous Madrid derby clashes.
Much of the credit for that goes to Atletico manager Diego Simeone, whose belligerent nature has made him an icon with the club’s fans.
Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid Controversies
While there was animosity between the two clubs from the outset, it wasn’t until the 1950s that an irrecoverable divide was firmly established.
General Franco’s alignment with Madrid to garner political favour in Europe was the primary factor in ramping up the heat between the two clubs.
Atletico fans did not take too kindly to what they perceived to be a betrayal by the Spanish dictator, and they swiftly realigned their political leanings.
Tensions heightened over the next couple of decades, with questionable elements of the fanbase dubbing Atletico and their fans ‘Indians’ in reference to the Latin American players in their squad.
Madrid largely steered clear of signing non-Caucasian players around this time, which added a sinister racial undercurrent to the Madrid derby.
As Madrid’s dominance over Atletico grew, their followers began to treat the Madrid derby with increasing amounts of indifference when compared to El Clasico.
However, the landscape changed dramatically in 2013 when Simeone inspired Atletico to clinch a famous victory in the final of the Copa del Rey.
Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo was controversially sent-off during the game, heightening the feelings of bitterness in the white half of the city.
Atletico have continued to compete more effectively with Madrid since then, although their rivals remain the dominant club.
Their meetings in 2022/23 further fanned the flames, with Simeone claiming that La Liga referees are biased towards Atletico’s local rivals.
Atletico fans have failed to cover themselves in glory, directing vile racist abuse at Madrid star Vinicius Jr. They also hung an effigy of him from a bridge before another derby game.
Vinicius Jr called for life bans for the people responsible, but La Liga have been fairly slow to get to grips with the issue.
More La Liga Resources
La Liga News | La Liga Table | La Liga Fixtures | La Liga Top Scorers
