Atletico beat Real to win the Madrid derby at Wanda Metropolitano which held more meaning to them than their city rivals.
Real, having won the La Liga already and a Champions League final to play, had little motivation to name a full-strength squad.
Atletico meanwhile are chasing Champions League football for next season and did wonders for their chances by beating Real 1-0 to move six points ahead of the 5th placed Real Betis who lost to Barcelona at the weekend.
Yannick Carasco scored the only goal of the game in the first half from the penalty spot to give the home side a win during a contest where they denied Real a customary “Guard of honor.”
Atletico came out pressing high and Angel Correa and Carrasco had two great chances to open the scoring within the first ten minutes.
Carrasco eventually put the hosts ahead in the 40th minute, after the referee changed his initial decision and a penalty was awarded to Atletico following a VAR review for a foul on Matheus Cunha.
The goal sparked Carlo Ancelotti’s side into life with Jan Oblak having to parry several goal attempts before halftime.
The Slovenia international pulled off another great save to deny Casemiro and Federico Valverde in the second half.
Atletico returned the barrage as well but Andriy Lunin, deputizing for Courtois, made some key saves before Carrasco hit the post just after 75 minutes with only the keeper to beat as the clock approached the end.
Minutes before fulltime, Oblak again kept out Marco Asensio’s attempt to equalize with a low free-kick effort from outside of the box, as the hosts held on to grab their first Madrid derby win since 2015.
The win was history-making for Diego Simeone, who notched his 10th victory over Real in 36 tries, passing Luis Aragones as the winningest Atleti coach in Madrid derby history
