Madrid, Sept. 20: Atlético Madrid coach Diego Simeone became the first person booked in Sunday’s Madrid derby against Real Madrid after an early incident involving Arda Güler and Álex Baena sparked heated reactions on the touchline.
The derby at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano began with intense challenges and protests from both sides. Just minutes into the match, Baena brought Güler down from behind, prompting the Real Madrid midfielder to appeal to referee Miguel Ángel Ortiz Arias.
Simeone reacted from the Atlético technical area and was shown a yellow card for his conduct. Reports from the match described the Atlético coach as protesting the incident and the reaction of the Real Madrid players.
Simeone Booking Adds to Tense Madrid Derby
The early booking set the tone for a fiercely contested encounter between the two Madrid rivals.
The match featured several strong challenges and frequent appeals to the referee. The atmosphere inside the Metropolitano was already intense before kick-off, with both sets of supporters creating a hostile derby environment.
The opening stages also saw continued attention on Güler after the challenge from Baena. The incident quickly became one of the talking points of the first half.
Simeone’s yellow card was particularly notable because he was booked before any Atlético or Real Madrid player in the match. The Atlético coach’s animated presence on the touchline has long been a feature of the Madrid derby.
The encounter remained goalless at half-time, with both teams producing a physical and closely contested first half.
The match is the first Madrid derby of the 2026-27 La Liga season and is being played at Atlético’s Metropolitano before the international break.
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