Has Atlético Madrid ever won both league derbies against Real Madrid in the same season?

After their 5-2 win in the first meeting, Atlético Madrid now have the chance to beat Real Madrid twice in the same LaLiga season for only the fifth time in club history, having previously done so in 1940-41, 1942-43, 1950-51 and 2014-15. It is not an especially decisive game in the title race, but Diego Simeone’s team could still achieve something highly unusual.

When Atlético have done the Madrid double

The first time it happened was in the 1940-41 season. Back then the club was known as Atlético Aviación, and it beat Real Madrid 3-1 in a game played at Vallecas stadium. Pruden scored all three goals for the red-and-whites. In the return leg at Chamartín, Atlético again routed Real Madrid. Ricardo Zamora’s team won 4-1, with Pruden scoring twice and Campos and Marín adding the other two. Atlético Aviación won the league title, while Real Madrid finished sixth. The Madrid side successfully defended the title it had won the previous season.

It did not take long for Atlético to beat Real Madrid in both league games again. It happened in the 1942-43 campaign. Atlético Aviación won 3-1 at Chamartín, with Mariano scoring twice and Campos getting the other goal. In the return game, in a packed Metropolitano, Atlético won again, this time 2-1. Mariano and Domingo scored for Zamora’s side. Athletic won the title, while Atlético Aviación finished eighth and Real Madrid 10th.

In the 1950-51 season, Atlético again came out on top in both derbies. On Nov. 12, 1950, they produced a historic result: a 6-3 win over Real Madrid at Chamartín. It was a red-and-white explosion at the home of their eternal rival. Helenio Herrera was Atlético’s coach, and Ben Barek scored twice, while Pérez Payá, Escudero, Mújica and Carlsson each added one. In the return game there was another flood of attacking soccer and goals from Atlético, which dominated Madrid in a 4-0 win. Pérez Payá scored twice, with Tinte and Luciano also finding the net. By then under the name Atlético de Madrid, the club won the league title – its fourth. Real Madrid finished ninth.

Then many years passed before Atlético managed to beat Los Blancos in both league derbies again. It finally happened in 2014-15, with Simeone already on the bench. Cholo’s side beat Carlo Ancelotti’s team 2-1 in the first meeting, with goals from Tiago and Arda Turan. At the Vicente Calderón, Atlético sealed the double with a 4-0 win on Feb. 7, 2015.Tiago, Saúl, Antoine Griezmann and Mario Mandzukic scored. Barcelona won the league, with Real Madrid second and Atlético third.

Controversy broke out at Real Madrid after that 4-0 defeat because Cristiano Ronaldo, the team’s star, went ahead with his birthday party despite the debacle at the Vicente Calderón.

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