El Madrileño shuns blame and eyes derby after turbulent loss
At the Alfredo di Stefano stadium, Atlético Madrileño walked off the pitch after a 1-3 defeat to Villarreal B, a match that saw two red cards and a disputed penalty. Despite the chaos, the club’s officials and players refused to blame the referee and turned their thoughts to the forthcoming derby.
Controversial defeat and disciplinary fallout
The loss was marked by the expulsions of Doménech and Javi Gil, leaving the rojiblancos with nine men. A yellow‑card decision later awarded Villarreal a questionable penalty, sealing the result. Fernando Torres, former striker and current club ambassador, praised the team’s reaction, saying, “The squad responded well after the early goal and created chances to equalise, but playing with a man down made everything harder.”
Torres added that the side showed character, coming close to a 2-1 comeback before the final whistle. He highlighted the need to correct several aspects while acknowledging the positives. “There are many things to improve, but the attitude was encouraging,” he wrote on the club’s website.
Midfielder Jorge Castillo, who featured for the reserve side, echoed the sentiment, noting a lack of the usual “spark” and urging continued work. He refused to point to officiating errors as an excuse, stating, “We must keep improving and think about the next match.”
Looking ahead to the derby with Real Madrid Castilla
Coach Walter Zimmermann, speaking after the game, reminded the squad to rest after a period of short training cycles and weekend fixtures. “We need to recharge and be ready on Monday for a beautiful week ahead,” he said.
The next challenge arrives on Friday, 2 October, when Atlético Madrileño travel to face Real Madrid Castilla at the Alfredo di Stefano. The derby, still fresh in memory from a recent encounter at the Metropolitano, promises high tension.
Zimmermann expressed confidence in his “equipazo”, insisting the defeat will not diminish the team’s belief. “We go into the derby with maximum enthusiasm and aim for three points,” he declared.
With the club sitting second in LaLiga after 589 days, the focus now shifts from the controversial loss to reclaiming momentum in the upcoming derby.