The roar of the Metropolitano was primal.
On the other side of town, a certain fanbase was surely praying for the downfall of the visitors in blue and red.
There were very few nights when the goals of the 2 big clubs in Madrid aligned, but tonight, Real Madrid and Atletico's goals aligned.
The night sky above Madrid burned red, flares bursting like comets over the stands as drums pounded a war rhythm that echoed through every inch of grass.
This was no ordinary match, it was a siege.
And Barcelona, stripped of their talisman, had come to survive it.
FWEEEE!
The whistle blew.
Immediately, Atletico Madrid pressed with unbridled venom.
Diego Simeone's men snapped at every touch, hunted in packs, and flooded the midfield with grit and chaos. The crowd loved it as every tackle drew cheers, and every interception a roar.
Barcelona, by contrast, simply tried to breathe. Hansi Flick's men moved the ball in triangles, searching for control and calm amidst the storm.
