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Atletico Madrid defeated city rivals Real Madrid 5-2 in the seventh round of Spain’s La Liga, ending the visitors’ perfect start to the season on Saturday.
Twenty-year-old Turkish star Arda Guler stood out with a goal and an assist, even as Real Madrid suffered its first defeat.
However, Arda’s challenge inside the box early in the second half led to the penalty that allowed Atletico to retake the lead, drawing criticism over his defensive intervention.
Guler remained on the pitch for 59 minutes before being substituted by coach Xabi Alonso, who brought on Franco Mastantuono.
The second half saw Atletico Madrid take full control of the game. Julian Alvarez scored twice—once from the penalty spot in the 51st minute and again in the 64th minute—to give the hosts a commanding lead.
Antoine Griezmann sealed the result with a stoppage-time goal, setting the final score at 5-2.
The defeat ended Real Madrid’s six-game winning streak at the start of the league season, leaving them on 18 points. Atletico Madrid moved up to 12 points with the victory.
Guler’s display quickly became a major talking point in Spain. He contributed directly to two goals with his assist and strike, but also conceded the penalty that gave Atletico their third goal.
In the incident, he attempted an acrobatic clearance with a raised foot while an Atletico player was positioned underneath the ball, prompting the referee to judge the move as dangerous play.
The decision sparked debate, with some arguing it should have been punished only as an indirect free kick, while others considered the penalty justified.
Former referee Matheu Lahoz argued that the penalty decision was incorrect, saying it should have been considered a minor foul rather than a penalty.
In contrast, referee analyst Perez Burrull said contact was clear and the decision to award the penalty was justified, although it was not a red-card offense.
Major Spanish newspapers also highlighted Guler’s impact, with coverage focusing not only on his technical contributions, such as the assist and goal, but also on the intensity of his overall performance.
Sports Daily AS described him as "one of the best on the field," praising his passing vision and attacking play alongside Mbappe, while noting his mistakes in the second half.
El Pais wrote that Atletico dominated apart from "brief flashes" from Guler and Mbappe, and state broadcaster RTVE said the young midfielder’s volleyed finish after Vinicius Jr.’s dribble was one of the game’s standout moments.
Meanwhile, Marca ran the headline "Arda Guler’s strangest derby," portraying him as Real’s best player in the first half but pointing to the penalty he conceded and his eventual substitution as defining moments.
Guler’s goal also sparked off-field discussion.
While the midfielder celebrated toward the stands, teammates including Mbappe, Vinicius Jr. and Jude Bellingham ran in a different direction to celebrate together.
Spanish media noted the incident, raising questions about unity within the squad.
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