Frank Christian
Real Madrid edged out Atletico Madrid in the semifinals of the Supercopa de Espana, which took place in Saudi Arabia at the beginning of 2024, continuing their long-standing rivalry.
Manager Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid is in the race for the La Liga championship, with their only loss this season coming during an El Derbi match at the Wanda Metropolitano when Atleti emerged victorious in September.
Although Atletico has often played the role of the underdog in this historic rivalry, they have recently excelled under Diego Simeone, a coach known for thriving in high-stakes situations.
Here, The Sporting News reviews the history of El Derbi and compares the trophy cabinets of both Madrid clubs.
Head-to-Head: Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid
The two clubs have faced each other 237 times in competitive matches. Real Madrid has claimed victory in 116 of these matches, while Atletico has won 59, and 62 games have ended in a draw.
When Madrid FC was granted the regal designation of Real by King Alfonso XIII in 1920, they had already dominated the local football scene, absorbing several smaller teams and leading players through mergers.
Atletico, empowered by financial backing from their parent club, Athletic Bilbao, managed to resist these efforts, giving rise to a fierce city rivalry.
The first La Liga clash ended in a 2-1 win for Real Madrid, with Atletico claiming their first league win after three attempts but facing relegation later that season, only returning to La Liga in 1934.
After the Spanish Civil War, Atletico secured their first La Liga title in 1939/40 and successfully defended it the following year. They also grabbed two additional titles under the renowned coach Helenio Herrera in the late 1940s.
While Madrid had only won two league titles at the time, they soon flourished, dominated by stars like Alfredo Di Stefano, propelling them to five consecutive European Cup victories. One of these triumphs involved a semifinal clash against Atletico that ended in a playoff, with Madrid winning 2-1 thanks to goals by Di Stefano and Ferenc Puskas.
May 1959: Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Manuel Pazos makes a leaping save from Real Madrid’s Raymond Kopa. pic.twitter.com/SgUvti2dFa
— The Antique Football (@AntiqueFootball) February 22, 2014
Atletico found redemption in the 1960 and 1961 Copa del Rey finals, achieving back-to-back victories over Madrid. The 1970s also saw additional titles for Atleti, particularly under coach Luis Aragones.
In the 1980s, Atleti struggled as Madrid clinched five straight titles, though a notable 4-0 victory for Atletico at the Santiago Bernabeu in November 1987 provided a much-needed morale boost for their side.
A similar scenario unfolded in the 1999/2000 season when Atletico won a derby match but faced relegation soon after. They returned to the top tier in 2002 but did not win another derby until a 2-1 Copa del Rey final victory at the Bernabeu in 2013.
During the Diego Simeone era, Atletico achieved a remarkable league title in the 2013/14 season against heavyweights Barcelona and Real Madrid, coming close to clinching the Champions League title as well. However, a last-minute equalizer by Sergio Ramos in Lisbon led to a 4-1 defeat for Atletico in extra time. Cristiano Ronaldo’s penalty goal in this match remains part of his record haul against Atletico.
Trophy Count: Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid
The victory at the Estadio da Luz marked Madrid’s 10th European title, and they have since grown to 14 European championships, with their first of three back-to-back trophies won under Zinedine Zidane in 2016 against Atletico.
Atletico has been runners-up in three European Cup finals and achieving this title remains a major goal for Simeone after his La Liga wins in 2013/14 and 2020/21.
Real Madrid holds the record with 35 league titles, while Atletico sits third with 11, trailing Barcelona, which has 27 titles.
Trophy Comparison: Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid
| Real Madrid | Atletico Madrid | |
| La Liga | 36 | 11 |
| Copa del Rey | 20 | 10 |
| Copa de la Liga | 1 | — |
| Supercopa/Copa Presidente/Copa Eva Duarte | 13 | 4 |
| UEFA Champions League/European Cup | 15 | — |
| UEFA Europa League/UEFA Cup | 2 | 3 |
| UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup | — | 1 |
| UEFA Super Cup | 6 | 3 |
| FIFA Club World Cup | 5 | — |
| Intercontinental Cup | 3 | 1 |
Notable Wins and Losses: Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid
The greatest victory margin in a competitive match is 5-0, achieved by Atletico in the 1947/48 season and matched by Real Madrid in 1958/59 and 1983/84.
Additionally, a 2019 friendly match in the International Champions Cup ended with Atletico triumphing 7-3.
Real Madrid 3-7 Atlético Madrid – Madrid Derby 2019 Full Match | ICC2019
The 2019 Madrid Derby was one to remember! It was the first time that El Derbi Madrileño was played outside of Europe, and it was certainly unforgettable as Atlético de Madrid defeated Real Madrid 7-3, with five goals coming in the first half! Diego Costa bagged 4 goals before seeing a red card from the referee.
La Liga Record: Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid
| Real Madrid wins | Draws | Atletico wins |
| 91 | 43 | 41 |
Players with Most Appearances in Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid
| Player | Club | Appearances |
| Sergio Ramos* | Real Madrid | 43 |
| Paco Gento | Real Madrid | 42 |
| Manolo Sanchis | Real Madrid | 42 |
| Koke* | Atletico Madrid | 41 |
| Karim Benzema* | Real Madrid | 39 |
| Luka Modric* | Real Madrid | 39 |
*Denotes active player
Bold indicates a player currently with Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid
Top Goal Scorers in Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid Matches
| Player | Club | Goals |
| Cristiano Ronaldo* | Real Madrid | 22 |
| Alfredo Di Stefano | Real Madrid | 17 |
| Raul | Real Madrid | 15 |
| Santillana | Real Madrid | 15 |
| Ferenc Puskas | Real Madrid | 13 |
| Santiago Bernabeu | Real Madrid | 12 |
| Emilio Butragueno | Real Madrid | 12 |
| Paco Campos | Atletico Madrid | 12 |
*Denotes active player
