Alvarez nets double as Atletico thump Real in Madrid derby

Julian Alvarez struck twice to earn Atletico Madrid an emphatic 5-2 derby victory over La Liga leaders Real Madrid on Saturday, ending their rivals' perfect start to the season.

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Xabi Alonso's side had won all six of their opening games but Diego Simeone's Atletico overran them at the Metropolitano stadium, taking the lead through Robin Le Normand.

Kylian Mbappe and Arda Guler netted to put Real Madrid in front but Alexander Sorloth levelled for Atletico at the end of a thrilling first half.

Alvarez fired home from the penalty spot and then bent home a free-kick, with Antoine Griezmann grabbing the fifth late on to seal an important win after a shaky start to the campaign, with Atletico rising provisionally to fourth.

"It's a very special day, we knew how important this game was, being a derby of course but also because we needed the three points," Alvarez told DAZN.

"We have to stay on this path, improve the things that need to be improved... we weren't getting the results, but we were playing well."

Led by a flying Mbappe, Real came into Alonso's first derby at the helm as the only side in the league with a 100 percent record.