You missed the Madrid Derby? !! ??? !!! Catch the highlights here. I’ll wait. Don’t worry. I know it’s tough to get excited about any team nicknamed “los colchonerso” (mattress-makers), but Diego Forlan is quite good when managers don’t throw boots at him. And Kun Aguero certainly has his days.

As for Real? The story of the day is the continued absences of Raul and Guti. From the Earth, over half of the stars that we see have been dead for millions of years, but it takes time for their light to reach our view. Finally, the last flicker of the first Galactico era has reached the cold, indifferent eyes of Manuel Pellegrini. And he has had the courage to make a hardy steak stew of the sacred cows.

The game, played at the Vicente Calderon, started dreamily for Real. Kaka scored at the five minute mark, Marcelo scored, and then Higuain turned Luis Perea to score. The heavens threatened to open up and flood the pitch with a downpour of Madrid goals, but…but then Sergio Ramos committed a cynical foul on Kun Aguero. The Spaniard was the last man and…actually made a smart play. I am actually impressed that 1) Ramos was not 60 meters forward near the Atletico corner flag and 2) realized a goalscoring opportunity was at hand. Normally, Sergio either does not care or realizes these sort of pesky, defensive things five seconds too late.

A man down and with Pepe patrolling the pitch, things could only get worse. Forlan finished a lovely cross to make the score 3-1, and then Kun skinned the Portuguese-Brazilian-defender-in-name-only to make it 3-2. But the colchoneros ran out of time despite a handful of chances. And Pellegrini’s attention now turn to Monday’s rematch with Acorn State.

Coincidentally, Alcorcon has opened an official shop on their website to meet the spiked demand. And get this – the press release indicates that Real Madrid did not sell any visiting tickets to Alcorcon. Madrid rambled about some La Liga-visitors-separated section stuff. Acorn State did thank Real for its attempts, but if you read between the lines you can see the disappointment.

To read Alcorcon’s official “hym” (and even download the mp3!), click here. Acorn State has been toiling away in the second division for some odd seven years, but their defeat of Madird surprised nobody who saw their meteoric rise from the regional league to the second division in the span of three years. But why am I, a Madrid fan, so interested in Acorn State? Reconnaissance?

After the back-to-back victories over Getafe and Atletico, Real needs  a new Madrid rivalry. And Alcorcon, located in the larger metro area, fits the bill.

Related posts:

1. Real Madrid and Second Place in La Liga
2. Real Madrid v. Zaragoza – the Brothers Diarra