Real Madrid 1-2 Atletico Madrid: Five Talking Points

Real Madrid lost their second straight game in La Liga, this time at home to Atletico Madrid. The win gave Atletico their first ever back-to-back win over their derby rivals.What made the win more special for Atletico was winning it at the Santiago Bernabeu against a star studded Real Madrid line up.Goals from Tiago Mendes and Arda Turan cancelled out Cristiano Ronaldo’s equaliser to give Los Rojiblancos a famous win that took them up to second in the table behind Barcelona while Real Madrid slipped to 12th with just one win in three games.

#1 Atletico substitutes change the game

Although Atlético took the lead, it was against the run of the play and the side's first-half performance was something that would have surely incurred the wrath of the manager's ire. They lost their usual composure and looked vulnerable at the back and were in a sense lucky that it was level at the break. But Simeone's subs tilted the balance in their favour.

Arda Turan and Antoine Griezmann replaced Raúl Jiménez and Gabi and the duo almost had an immediate impact, but the Turkish winger curled his shot just wide off the post. From then onwards, the game was theirs for the taking and they grew in confidence with every passing minute.

And it was no surprise to see that it was Turan who scored the winner. Griezmann found Juanfran, whose low cross was calmly slotted into the net by Turan with Garcia selling Real a dummy. And thus, even from behind glass doors, Simeone was able to work his magic and give his side all three points.

#2 Plenty of possession, but no penetration by Real

At the end of the first half, Real Madrid had more than two-thirds of the possession, but the score was still level. Although they created a couple of good chances, aside from Ronaldo's spot kick, they didn't take any of them. After the break, although their possession numbers only dipped slightly, they became disjointed as an attacking force.

By the end of the game, they had to resort to pot shots from distance in a bid to score a last-gasp equalizer. Their decision to buy James Rodriguez and sell Angel Di Maria is looking worse every minute. Without the Argentine, Los Blancos lacked the penetration from central midfield.

As good as Kroos and Modric were, they are both passers and not dribblers and so far at least, James doesn't look like he can play that role. Which means that either Ancelotti will have to change his formation or find someone who can do that. But whatever he decides, he must do it fast. Because the longer he waits, the farther they are going to fall back in terms of their league position.

#3 Are the winds of change finally blowing through Madrid?

For 14 years, the story was the same. Atlético Madrid go to the home of their fierce rivals and irrespective of the form they were in before the game, they would end up losing, often, without even putting up too much of a fight. It was 25 matches until they won at the Bernabeu last May in the Copa del Rey. Since then they have gone back twice and won on both occasions.

It is not just the victories, but the sense that the mental fragility which had seen them lose time and again to Real Madrid is now finally gone. There is now a sense that they can beat Real Madrid, home or away, even if their squad doesn't have the same calibre of players that their rivals can boast of.

For the first time in a very long time, it looks like there are two clubs from Madrid fighting for the title and not just one. If they keep their performances up, maybe, just maybe, Atlético can do it all over again become the first side that isn't Real or Barcelona to retain the League title in this millennium.

#4 Already a bridge too far for Real Madrid?

One win and two defeats from the opening three games means that Real Madrid are currently in 12th spot, four behind Atlético and a massive six points behind Barcelona.

While two defeats hardly is hardly a worthy cause for hitting the panic button, such is the competition in Spain that those two defeats might have already cost them the League, unless something dramatic happens.

The form of the League champions over the last few years has been mind-boggling. In a league where the eventual winners lose barely two or three games all season long, Real's two defeats now means that they might have to go through the rest of the season with a near perfect record if they are to claim the title.

While it is not inconceivable that they can get the points, the real problem for the coach stems from the fact that he hasn't figured out his starting XI yet. And the club's transfer policy of “fix it, even if it isn't broke” might end up costing them dear unless Ancelotti figures out how effectively use this expensively assembled squad soon.

#5 Atltico etching themselves into the record books

By beating Real Madrid 2-1, Atlético became only the sixth team to record back-to-back league victories at the Bernabeu.

This comes on the back of a 14-year hiatus which saw them return back from the Bernabeu without a win. Their victory also meant that their unbeaten record against teams from the capital now stands at eight (W6, D2), their best-ever run.

Although Cristiano Ronaldo continued his record of scoring from the spot against Atlético, Simeone's side finally managed to break the Casillas curse. Saturday night's victory over their local rivals was the first time in 23 attempts that they had beaten them with Casillas in goal.

The victory also improved Simeone's record and made it four wins against Real – the best for any Atlético manager since the club's promotion to the top-flight in 2002.