The Madrid derby is here. The hatred between Atlético and Real has taken another turn this time

Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid, two implacable rivals who regularly battle for supremacy in the Spanish capital. The 230th official duel awaits us on Sunday at 9pm, and this time the duel has an added edge.

Hate since time immemorial

The duels between Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid have a huge momentum. It’s the second biggest derby in Spain, but for Atlético fans, the duel with the hated Real is the most that can happen in football.

There is a reason for that. The Colchoneros see Real as the richer, better, more successful, pretentious neighbour for whom they wish only the worst. That’s why it’s often said that Atlético fans’ hatred of Real is much greater than the other way around.

For a long time, Atleti were more of a ‘pain in the arse’ for Real than an equal opponent, but after the arrival of Diego Simeone, the rivalry has once again risen to an all-time high.

In ‘El derbi madrileño’, there is no shortage of sharp tackles, red cards, heated fights, arguments and scuffles. And we won’t miss it on Sunday night.

Vinícius’ samba

The main theme is Vinícius Junior. The young Brazilian footballer is in the form of his life, scoring goals, passing them on, creating chances and driving defenders crazy. He also celebrates his goals with samba, a typical Brazilian dance. But that is what has become the number one topic in Spain in recent days.

First, it was picked up by Atlético Madrid fans, who started insulting Vinícius on social media for his celebratory dances and threatened him not to try it in Sunday’s derby at the Wanda Metropolitano.

Then Atlético captain Koke added fuel to the fire, letting it be known in an interview that if Vinícius celebrates a goal by dancing, there will definitely be trouble.

And to crown it all, Bravo Pedro, president of the Spanish Agents Association, on El Chirinquito. “They must respect the opponent. If he wants to dance the samba, he should go to the Sambadrome in Brazil. Here he has to respect the opponents and not behave like a monkey,” Pedro said in very harsh words.

Vinícius has received a huge amount of support, with the Brazilian Football Association, Real Madrid, icon Pelé and almost all the Brazilian league clubs expressing their support for him on social media, in addition to his teammates (Neymar, Thiago Silva, Richarlison, Raphinha, Eder Militao, etc…).

On Sunday night, all the attention will be on Vinícius Junior. Will he score? And if he does, will he do a celebratory dance? The 22-year-old Brazilian himself has said that he is not going to stop dancing, so the atmosphere at the Wanda Metropolitano could get pretty hostile if that is the case.

Source: Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid