With Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid set to clash on Saturday, February 8, there are no two coaches who have taken on each other more often than Simeone and Ancelotti in LALIGA.
ELDERBI DE MADRID is much more than a football match. It’s not just about the battle for three points; it’s about securing victory for the two passionate fanbases that exist in the Spanish capital. And few men know this better than coaches Diego ‘Cholo’ Simeone and Carlo Ancelotti.
The two know each other perfectly and, taking into account the Italian coach’s two spells at Real Madrid, they’ve met on 11 different occasions in LALIGA EA SPORTS. The balance is in favour of the Argentinian. With El Cholo at the helm, Atleti have managed to win five of those 11 derbies against the Italian, in addition to four draws and two Real Madrid wins. Across all competitions, they’ve faced off 23 times in derbies and it’s completely even, with eight wins each and seven draws.
The first ELDERBI DE MADRID between Ancelotti and Simeone
The first time these two iconic coaches faced each other in LALIGA EA SPORTS was in the 2013/14 season. It was Ancelotti’s first season as Real Madrid coach, and perhaps the Argentinian’s experience in this type of derby played a key role. Atlético de Madrid shocked the Santiago Bernabéu crowd, earning a 1-0 win with a fine 11th minute goal from Diego Costa.
That same season, which Atleti ended as champions, the return derby at the old Estadio Vicente Calderón ended in a 2-2 draw. Karim Benzema opened the scoring three minutes before Koke equalised with a fine cross-shot. Just before half time, Los Rojiblancos turned the game around with a shot from almost midfield by Gabi. Cristiano Ronaldo then equalised in the 82nd minute.
That draw helped Simeone’s team to win the 2013/14 championship. However, Ancelotti was able to guide Real Madrid to Champions League glory in 2013/14, defeating Atleti in Lisbon in the final. This meant that both coaches finished that campaign lifting a long-sought-after trophy.
The following season, Simeone managed to win both derbies. Atleti walked away from the Santiago Bernabéu with a 2-1 win, before storming to a historic 4-0 win in an unforgettable encounter at the Vicente Calderón.
Better results for Ancelotti since his return
Having failed to get one over Simeone in his first stint in LALIGA EA SPORTS, Ancelotti secured his first ELDERBI DE MADRID league win in the 2021/22 season after returning to the Bernabéu dugout, a 2-0 win at the start of that campaign in which Los Blancos went on to win the LALIGA EA SPORTS title.
During the Italian’s second stint in charge, the two coaches have faced off on 10 occasions across all competitions, with four Real Madrid wins, three Atlético de Madrid wins and three draws. In 2023/24 alone there were four clashes, and all of them were dramatic. There was a 3-1 Atlético de Madrid victory and a 1-1 draw in the two 2023/24 LALIGA EA SPORTS games, while Real Madrid won a Spanish Super Cup semi-final meeting 5-3 after extra time and Atleti gained revenge with a Copa del Rey Last 16 victory by a 4-2 scoreline after extra time.
Then, at the beginning of the 2024/25 season, the first derby clash of the campaign ended as a 1-1 draw at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, after Ángel Correa scored a 95th minute equaliser. That’s a major reason why Atleti are still so close to Real Madrid in the LALIGA EA SPORTS title race, so this next meeting is a really important one.
SOURCE: LALIGA CONTENTHUB
