Madrid, Feb 9 (IANS): Real Madrid drew against Atletico Madrid in the derby played at the Santiago Bernabeu and remain top of La Liga table.

The visitors took the lead in the first half after a penalty reviewed by the VAR and converted by Julian Alvarez, but Mbappe made it 1-1 at the start of the second half. Real had numerous chances to win but were thwarted by an inspired Oblak in the Atletico goal and the scoreboard didn’t change.

Real started building patient passages of play, reaching the opponent's area. However, it was Atlético who fired the first warning with Lino’s 14th-minute deflected shot from outside the area. Hosts responded immediately with a long-range shot from Rodrygo that went over. In the 18th minute, it was the turn of Vini Jr. from the edge of the area, but his strong left-footed shot did not find the target. After the half-hour mark, De Burgos Bengoetxea alerted Soto Grado via the VAR to review an action in the area by Tchouameni on Lino. After seeing it on the monitor, the referee signaled for a penalty and Julian Alvarez made it 0-1 (34').

After the break, Real started very strongly and in the 50th minute made it 1-1. Rodrygo made a strong run to the byline, cutting back for Bellingham to shoot. Gimenez blocked the shot but it dropped to Mbappe, who controlled the ball right-footed inside the left post for his 23rd goal this season. Two minutes later he nearly added a second following a great move by Vini Jr. down the left flank. The Brazilian's cross was headed by Bellingham, who crashed the ball against the crossbar.

Ancelotti's team were enjoying their best spell, again coming close to making it 2-1 with a carbon copy of the previous move. Ceballos put in a cross and Bellingham's header was saved by Oblak. The visiting goalkeeper was in the limelight again when, in the 71st minute, he stopped Rodrygo's close-range shot, before also saving a left-footed shot from Vini Jr. in the following play.

The derby picked up a frenetic pace as both teams went looking for the winner. But it was Madrid who had the better chances. In the 82nd minute, Vini Jr. skipped past his marker with a beautiful touch and put in a precise cross for Rodrygo, whose right-footed shot narrowly missed the target. Before stoppage time, Valverde threaded a lovely through ball for Mbappé but Oblak guessed his intentions with another decisive intervention. Real were far superior in the second half, but the derby ended 1-1 and they remain top of La Liga.