The Madrid derby was stopped for 15 minutes after two PA announcements failed to stop supporters in the south stand at the Estadio Metropolitano throwing missiles at Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. Coach Diego Simeone and captain Koke approached the end in an attempt to get them to stop while Joséma Giménez got involved in a discussion with supporters, including some wearing balaclavas, before the referee, Mateo Busquets Ferrer, took the teams off the pitch. They eventually returned at 10.42pm, with around 20 minutes still to play, during which Atlético scored a late, late equaliser, Angel Correa bundling in at the very end. According to La Liga protocols, another incident would have led to the permanent suspension of the match. Fortunately, that did not happen but the fallout will continue. Perhaps the best city derby in Europe – the only one to have been played out in a European Cup final – has been marked with abuse in recent years, including racist chanting aimed at Vinícius Junior, and now it had been suspended. The trouble, which occurred at the end where Atlético’s radical far-right supporters stand, ultras of whom many have had enough, started immediately after Madrid took the lead in the second half, when Courtois celebrated Eder Militão’s strike. The Madrid goalkeeper, who previously played for Atlético, alerted the referee to a couple of lighters that were thrown at him. More objects followed, the warnings and gestures from Simeone for supporters to use their heads, failing to halt the behaviour. Eventually, they returned, the game going on late, still playing well after 11pm, Madrid ultimately unable to hand on for a 1-0 set up by the Militão goal that had preceded it all. Madrid reached a 40th game without defeat, going all the way back to the last time there came here in La Liga. Atlético though got the draw, at 11.12pm. But the football, which wasn’t even very good for much of the game, won’t be what gets talked about in the coming days. An injury ruled out Kylian Mbappé but the hope was that what they lost in goalscoring – the Frenchman had scored in the last five games – they might gain in balance. Carlo Ancelotti did not replace him directly; instead, he chose an extra midfielder, Luka Modric. That, in theory, allowed Jude Bellingham to move a little closer to the forwards, and the territory from which he scored more than20 times in his debut season. Simeone, meanwhile, broke with his normal structure, going with four at the back rather than five. Alex Sorloth, Julián Álvarez and Antoine Griezmann all started. But if that looked like an attacking set up, the reality was a little different; Álvarez was more left midfielder than forward, although the best moments were his. Twice he escaped, dashing in from the left, away from Dani Carvajal and Antonio Rüdiger. The second time, cutting into the area, he drew a sharp save from Courtois, foot outstretched at his near post. Conor Gallagher began in the centre of the midfield alongside Marcos Llorente, the first big cheer coming when he won the ball 109 seconds in, a glimpse of the character that has made him so popular so fast. Soon after, Bellingham almost got to Modric’s pullback on the edge of the six-yard box. Another shot from the edge of the area was gathered by Jan Oblak. What was most noticeable about his opening period though was how often Bellingham was the one taking responsibility for bringing the ball out, appearing all over the pitch. There was intensity but not much clarity, still less creativity. When Oblak dived to deny Fede Valverde from 20 yards, he was furious at how much space Valverde had been given yet that was a one-off: it was rare that Madrid found the pitch opening before them; rare, in fact, that either of them did. When Vinícius did get close to Oblak, the keeper stepped around him, a cheer rising with 70,000 heart rates here. The lack of fluidity was reflected in Koke’s introduction at half-time. Here was the promise of a little football, at last. Sorloth departed not long after, having been unable to truly influence this, Atlético reverting to a more familiar formation. Lino’s first run saw him find Álvarez inside the area, but he could not quite set up Rodrigo De Paul. The next time he set off, he ran straight into Valverde. which felt quite fitting. And then, just after the hour, the goal came. Modric took a free kick short, Vinícius clipped in a cross which through to the far post where Militão took a touch and struck a shot that went in off Llorente’s thigh. In the celebrations, Courtois looked at the south end, then drew the referee’s attention to something that had been thrown at him from the stand behind the goal. A warning, delivered over the PA, did not stop it; more followed. Bottles, a plastic bag, a lighter. With Simeone and Koke appealing for the fans to stop, the referee brought the game to a halt. Simeone, on the pitch, had words with Courtois. Then the captain and the coach, along with Joséma Giménez, went to the end. There was a discussion between Giménez and a man in a black Stone Island polo shirt and a full balaclava mask with a skull painted on it. As they spoke, water came down upon the defender. More objects fell. The referee took the teams off, the match suspended. From other areas of the stadium, many of them sick of the usual suspects, a far right group with whom some of them are tired of being associated, whistled. Twice they had been warned over the tannoy, per the protocol; maybe this way they might learn. Once more and the game would be abandoned for good. Then came the delay, with the possibility of abandonment. Instead they played on. It would not be true to say that no one cared any more. There was singing and shouting and Atlético went in search of the equaliser, Madrid resisting, clinging in to what would have been a hugely significant victory. There were confrontations too. There was a huge groan when Antoine Griezmann was denied by a Courtois save and when the Belgian denied Angel Correa. And then there was a huge roar, this place going wild when the Argentinian ran through, got beyond Courtois and bundled the ball into the net. Ruled out at first for offside, VAR gave it back, a roar rocking this place. But that was no longer what would most stay with everyone here.