Real Madrid suffered a painful 2-1 defeat to Atletico Madrid in the latest Madrid Derby, with Jose Mourinho's side unable to maintain their strong start to the season. The visitors were dealt a major blow early in the second half when Dean Huijsen was sent off after bringing down Giuliano Simeone in the box. Alejandro Grimaldo converted the resulting penalty in the 53rd minute before Jonathan David doubled Atletico's advantage six minutes later. Antonio Rudiger pulled one back for Real in the 89th minute, but Atletico held on for a huge derby victory.
However, beyond the defeat itself, the performances of Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr will raise plenty of questions.
Kylian Mbappe's Shocking Madrid Derby Stats
Mbappe has been in excellent goalscoring form for Real Madrid this season, but the Frenchman endured a remarkably quiet evening against Atletico.
Kylian Mbappe in 90 minutes vs Atletico Madrid:
0 goals
0 assists
0 shots on target
0 chances created
0 big chances created
0 key passes
Considering Mbappe had already scored eight goals in his first seven games before the derby, his complete lack of attacking output represents a significant drop-off.
Vinicius Jr's Madrid Derby Stats
Vinicius Jr had an equally frustrating outing and was unable to provide the attacking spark Real desperately needed.
Vinicius Jr in the Madrid Derby:
0 goals
0 assists
0 shots on target
0 chances created
0 big chances created
0 key passes
7 possessions lost
The Brazilian was eventually hooked in the 54th minute, with Real forced to adapt following Huijsen's red card.
That makes the combined numbers of Real Madrid's two biggest attacking stars particularly concerning. Neither player managed a shot on target, created a chance or registered a key pass during a match in which Real desperately needed their individual quality.
Mbappe and Vinicius Still Struggling Together?
There is no doubt that Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr are world-class footballers individually. However, these statistics provide yet another indication that the pair simply do not function together particularly well as a team.
Carlo Ancelotti and Xabi Alonso both attempted to find a system that could accommodate the two superstars effectively, but ultimately failed to make the partnership consistently click.
Now, Jose Mourinho is the third manager attempting to make the pairing work at Real Madrid. Yet this latest derby defeat has once again cast a shadow over whether he will actually succeed.
If Mourinho continues starting both players in future fixtures and they struggle to produce together, the pressure on the Portuguese manager could become enormous. Should the situation fail to improve, it could eventually spell the end of Mourinho's second tenure at Real Madrid.