Real Madrid 2-1 Atletico: Brahim Diaz goal gives Los Blancos edge in Champions League last-16 tie | OneFootball

Madrid derby remains finely poised for second-leg decider after three wonderful efforts at the Bernabeu

Real Madrid will take a narrow 2-1 lead into the second-leg decider of their Champions League last-16 tie against rivals Atletico Madrid.

It was an electric start in a bouncing atmosphere in the Spanish capital, where Real Madrid paid tribute to late defender Javier Dorado before kick-off.

Rodrygo was inspired early on and could have had a penalty after being pulled down inside the box by the struggling Javi Galan, but French referee Clement Turpin was unmoved and the decision was checked and cleared by VAR.

Jose Maria Gimenez threw out a trailing leg to block a low effort from Vinicius Jr, who also had a tame low strike held by Oblak while the latter later pushed away a dangerous Rodrygo free-kick that just evaded the head of a leaping Antonio Rudiger.

But Atletico responded well to that early setback and quickly got their bearings, with stand-in Real captain Valverde - again operating at right-back, as he did against Manchester City in the knockout play-offs - making two crucial interventions to deny Samuel Lino an equaliser.

But there was nothing Real Madrid could do about Alvarez’s leveller just after the half-hour mark as the former Manchester City striker got the better of Eduardo Camavinga before bending an amazing strike in at the far post to leave Thibaut Courtois with no chance.

Atleti were enjoying plenty of possession to leave the home fans whistling louder and louder in frustration, showing trademark energy and determination under Diego Simeone to win the ball back extremely quickly every time they lost it.

The quiet Kylian Mbappe failed to trouble Oblak with a low strike from range after half-time, with Ferland Mendy then making an important block to thwart Rodrigo De Paul at the other end before Real Madrid retook the lead out of nowhere.

Vinicius Jr played in Brahim, who left Gimenez on the deck with some lovely fast and tricky footwork inside the box before expertly picking out the far bottom corner.

Real Madrid looked far more comfortable thereafter and played with much more freedom in attack, while Atletico appeared rather content to take only a narrow deficit back home to the Metropolitano Stadium for the all-important second leg as their intensity levels greatly dipped after falling behind again.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side really should have made it 3-1 in stoppage time as Mbappe got free inside the box, but his cut back from the byline was played too far behind Vinicius Jr, who was then denied by a fine block from Gimenez.