MADRID: Xabi Alonso’s perfect start as Real Madrid manager will be tested when his side visit a vengeful Atletico Madrid on Saturday, with Diego Simeone’s team still seething over a controversial penalty decision that cost them a Champions League quarter-final spot.
Real Madrid arrive at the Metropolitano stadium with a flawless record of six wins in LaLiga, sitting five points clear of second placed Barcelona and nine points ahead of Atletico.
Atletico are motivated by more than just local bragging rights – they remain furious over Julian Alvarez’s disallowed penalty in last season’s round of 16 Champions League defeat.
The incident, where Alvarez’s penalty in the shootout was disallowed by VAR due to a controversial “double touch” decision after he slipped while attempting the shot, allowed Real Madrid to progress into the last eight.
The controversy was so significant that the International Football Association Board (IFAB) later updated the rulebook, clarifying that the rule was meant to prevent deliberate double touches, not punish accidental slips.
Several months on, the Atletico manager is still furious about the incident which he believes robbed his side of victory.
“We feel outraged, violated... It wasn’t just another penalty, it was a penalty that would have sent us through to the quarter-finals... I’m angry, honestly angry,” he told DAZN recently.
That defeat extended Atletico’s trophy drought to four consecutive seasons and left Simeone under unprecedented pressure as he entered his 14th season as the club’s manager.
Things got worse as they had a dismal start to the season, with just one win in their first six matches in all competitions despite sky-high expectations following the club’s massive summer investment.
But after they were left licking their wounds when they suffered a last-gasp defeat to Liverpool at Anfield in their Champions League opener last week, they managed to recover with a thrilling 3-2 comeback win against Rayo Vallecano in LaLiga on Wednesday, giving them a boost ahead of Saturday’s derby.
Despite the win, Atletico find themselves languishing in eighth place in the LaLiga standings after six games, a far cry from their lofty ambitions.
In contrast they will be up against a Real Madrid team who have bagged 18 points so far this season in a perfect start with Kylian Mbappe shining with seven goals atop the LaLiga scoring race.
Saturday’s derby promises to be a clash between Alonso seeking validation for his project and Simeone’s side desperate for vindication against their old, bitter rivals.
Atletico still burning over penalty controversy as Madrid derby looms
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Atletico still burning over penalty controversy as Madrid derby looms
- Real Madrid arrive at the Metropolitano stadium with a flawless record of six wins in LaLiga
- Several months on, the Atletico manager is still furious about the incident which he believes robbed his side of victory
Dakar Rally Saudi Arabia 2026 countdown begins ahead of Jan. 3 start
- * Redesigned course introduces fresh challenges that will raise the intensity of competition
- * Event highlights Kingdom’s aims of becoming a global leader in motorsport, says Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, SAMF chairman
JEDDAH: The countdown for Dakar Rally Saudi Arabia 2026, one of the world’s toughest rally events, has begun with less than a month remaining before the seventh consecutive edition hosted in the Kingdom gets underway.
The rally will take place from Jan. 3-17 under the supervision of the Ministry of Sport. It will be organized by the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation and promoted by the Saudi Motorsport Company.
Global attention will be focused on the rally as competitors prepare for a gruelling test across Saudi Arabia’s vast and varied terrain.
The upcoming edition is set to be one of the most distinctive yet, featuring a new route that will give competitors the chance to experience the Kingdom’s natural beauty, varied landscapes and historic sites.
The redesigned course introduces fresh challenges that will raise the intensity of competition, adding excitement throughout every stage.
Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, chairman of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation and the Saudi Motorsport Company, said: “The Dakar Rally is more than just a race; it is part of the Kingdom’s ambitious journey toward becoming a global leader in motorsport.”
This year’s rally marked a pivotal moment for Saudi motorsport when Yazeed Al-Rajhi became the first Saudi driver to claim the title in the cars category.
“It’s a milestone we are all proud of and hope to see repeated next year,” Prince Khalid said.
The SAMF chairman added: “What makes us especially proud this year is the rising number of Saudi drivers taking part, a clear indication of the success of our talent-development initiatives and next-generation programs. These achievements are the result of national efforts we all take pride in.”
Dakar Saudi Arabia 2026 will welcome 812 competitors representing 69 countries, competing with 433 vehicles across eight categories: Ultimate B, Ultimate, Stock, Challenger, Side-by-Side, Trucks, in addition to motorbikes and quad bikes. The rally will cover a total distance of 7,999 km, including 4,845 km of timed special stages.
Competition begins on Jan. 3, with a 23 km prologue stage in Yanbu, followed by stage 1 on Jan. 4 over 305 km starting and finishing in Yanbu.
Stage 2 will take place on Jan. 5 from Yanbu to AlUla (400 km), with stage 3 held in AlUla on Jan. 6 (422 km). Stage 4 follows on Jan. 7 from AlUla to the Marathon Camp (451 km).
Stage 5 runs on Jan. 8 from the Marathon Camp to Hail (372 km), and stage 6 on Jan. 9 from Hail to Riyadh (336 km).
Jan. 10 will be a rest day for the competitors in Riyadh.
Action continues Jan. 11 with stage 7 from Riyadh to Wadi Al-Dawasir (462 km), followed by stage 8 on Jan. 12 in Wadi Al-Dawasir (481 km). Stage 9 will run on Jan. 13 January toward the Marathon Camp (410 km). The rally moves on to stage 10 on Jan. 14 from the Marathon Camp to Bisha (421 km), then stage 11 on Jan. 15 from Bisha to Al-Hanakiyah (347 km).
Stage 12 follows on Jan. 16 January from Al-Hanakiyah to Yanbu (310 km), before the event concludes with the 13th and final stage in Yanbu on Jan. 17, covering 105 km.
All distances listed refer to timed special stages.
