Real Madrid 2 - Atlético Madrid 1

Madrid: Casillas; Michel Salgado, Iván Helguera, Raúl Bravo, Roberto Carlos; Gravesen; Beckham, Baptista, Guti (Diogo 84'), Zidane (Robinho 77'); Cassano (Raúl 74'). 4-1-4-1.
Atlético: Leo Franco; Velasco, Perea, Pablo, Antonio López; Valera (Galletti 06'), Luccin, Gabi, Petrov; Kezman, Fernando Torres. 4-4-2.

Team changes: Madrid: Michel Salgado, Iván Helguera, Guti, Cassano for Cicinho, Sergio Ramos, Robinho, Ronaldo / Atlético: Valera for Maxi.

Goals:
1-0. 04. Cassano. Steered header back past Franco from Roberto Carlos cross.
1-1. 27. Kezman. Deflected Luccin's low shot past Casillas with heel.
2-1. 40. Baptista. Touched ball past Leo Franco from Beckham's cross.

Real Madrid kept in touch with leaders Barcelona after beating city neighbours Atlético Madrid 2-1 earlier in the evening. The talking point before the game was the surprise resignation of Florentino Pérez midweek, and new club president Fernando Martín took over his seat in the directors' box. Martín, a member of Pérez's board of directors, is a property developer who is known as "El Suelo" because of the real estate he owns, including a part share in Atlético's Vicente Calderón stadium.

Martín has said that he only wanted players who give their best, and López Caro responded by deciding to leave Ronaldo out of the squad. Cassano was his replacement in the Madrid attack, and he took advantage to open the scoring, heading a Roberto Carlos cross past Leo Franco in the fourth minute.

Pepe Murcia was missing the injured Maxi and Ibagaza, and in the sixth minute youngster Valera also limped off to be replaced by Galletti. But his side pushed forward, Casillas punching out a shot from Luccin and Helguera blocking an effort from Kezman before the visitors equalised, Luccin striking a long shot from outside of the area which Kezman cleverly deflected with his heel past the keeper.

Kezman should have scored again a few minutes later when he broke through only to fire a shot over the bar, but soon afterwards Madrid were back in front when Cassano and Baptista both went for Beckham's low cross, the Brazilian getting the final touch to lift the ball past Leo Franco. And Beckham could have increased the lead before the break with a free kick which just cleared the bar.

Things quietened down after the break though, with the home side controlling the game and not allowing their opponents many opportunities. Gabi shot wide and Pablo headed a Petrov free kick just across the goal, and Roberto Carlos cut out another effort from Galletti. But when Fernando Torres headed a late injury time corner over the top it was all over; Madrid had got off to a good start under the new regime and Atlético's run of six wins in a row had come to an end.