Gabi, the former captain and current assistant coach of Atletico Madrid, was at the centre of a tense moment after the final whistle of Friday's derby, making an obscene gesture toward the Real Madrid bench. The incident, caught on camera, occurred when German defender Antonio Rüdiger and other members of the Merengue technical staff directed a comment his way, prompting Gabi to point toward his groin in a manner reminiscent of a famous Kylian Mbappé gesture in front of the Metropolitano crowd.
The 2-1 victory, with goals from Alejandro Grimaldo from the penalty spot and Jonathan David, solidifies Atletico in second place in La Liga with 16 points. The win over their arch-rival ends a run of two defeats and leaves the team five points behind leaders Barcelona. Analysing the clash, Fernando Gabarró stated: "Derbies between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid rarely lack tension."
Friction endures
Images of the confrontation between Gabi and Rüdiger continued to circulate more than 24 hours after the match, proving the rivalry extends beyond the pitch. The game, played in front of a full house at the Metropolitano, was peppered with several clashes between players and members of both technical teams, with Dane Morten Hjulmand also involved in a skirmish with the German defender. This episode recalls other recent controversies in the derby, such as Julián Álvarez's double touch in a Champions League tie.
With the team on a positive run of three consecutive wins, focus now returns to the competition. Atletico heads into the upcoming international break in a strong position, awaiting a visit to a tricky Alaves, sixth in the table, on October 10th. Fans can follow the team's progress and check the full schedule on our fixtures page, while the squad status is available in the squad section.
Read the full report at Mundo Deportivo
