In the 63rd minute, Kondogbia executed another powerful interception. He immediately shifted the ball out to Ángel Correa on the right flank.
The Argentine possessed excellent close control.
On top of that, his stamina was fresh.
Facing Ferland Mendy, Correa utilized a razor-sharp stop-and-go feint to easily break past the French full-back.
Correa quickly whipped a dangerous cross into the box.
The target was Suárez again.
But the player marking Suárez in the center of the box had changed. It was Theodore.
Although Suárez's movement was famously slippery and unpredictable, under Theodore's suffocating physical pressure, the Uruguayan striker could not gain an inch of space.
Theodore easily beat him to the ball, heading it firmly clear.
Seconds later, Modrić controlled the dropping ball near the edge of his own penalty area.
This was a devastating counterattacking opportunity.
In the Bernabéu stands, more than eighty thousand fans rose from their seats, their eyes full of expectation as they looked toward the Croatian maestro.
Bang!
Modrić executed a stunning, sweeping diagonal pass. The switch of play was perfectly timed.
The ball dropped directly into the path of Vinícius Jr. on the left wing.
The lightning-fast Brazilian finally had isolated space to show off his dribbling talent.
The Atlético defender tasked with stopping him was Kieran Trippier.
Although the Englishman possessed decent pace, compared to the explosive Vinícius, he was hopelessly outmatched in a footrace.
Within seconds, Vinícius had already pulled half a body length ahead.
Panicking, Trippier desperately reached out and grabbed a fistful of the Brazilian's shirt.
But Vinícius was like a coiled spring, full of explosive momentum. He simply powered through the cynical grab, shaking Trippier off completely.
Approaching the byline, Vinícius looked up and whipped a cross toward the near post.
Bang!
The ball just cleared Stefan Savić's head.
Arriving perfectly, Karim Benzema threw himself into a diving header.
The ball flew powerfully toward the left side of the net.
Jan Oblak launched into a desperate dive, but he could not reach it...
Karim Benzema pierced the Atlético Madrid net!
4–2!
"The Frenchman delivers!" Rob Palmer called out in the broadcast booth. "Madrid have absorbed Atlético's attacking pressure and extended their lead with a lethal counterattack!"
With the advantage stretched to two goals, Zinedine Zidane opted to secure the midfield.
In the 70th minute, Casemiro came on to replace Toni Kroos.
Once Casemiro entered the pitch, he anchored the defensive midfield role. Theodore Bjorn, who had been operating there, pushed higher up into right central midfield.
It was Theodore's favored position.
Zidane's plan was clear: he wanted Real Madrid to drop deep, control the tempo, and defend the 4–2 scoreline until the final whistle.
But the Madrid players had other ideas.
Smelling blood, they continued launching wave after wave of attacks.
Returning to his natural role, Theodore took control of the game's rhythm.
Just three minutes after the tactical switch, he drove a long pass from midfield that found Benzema inside the penalty area.
Although Jan Oblak gathered the striker's header, Theodore intercepted a loose pass from Koke moments later.
Possession returned to Real Madrid.
Theodore chose to carry the ball forward.
When he charged toward the Atlético penalty area with his long, sweeping strides, the opposing midfielders went on high alert.
Geoffrey Kondogbia, Koke, and Marcos Llorente rushed to close him down.
Theodore did not force his way through the triple-team. Instead, he picked the most devastating option available.
Bang.
A threaded through ball.
The pass dissected the gap between Felipe and Mario Hermoso, arriving perfectly into the stride of Martin Ødegaard.
Since the start of the second half, the Norwegian playmaker had seen little of the ball.
Now, receiving it on his familiar right flank, Ødegaard initiated his signature move.
He chopped inside onto his left foot and pushed the ball into space.
By the time Hermoso scrambled across to block him, Ødegaard had already unleashed a curling strike.
Bang!
Hermoso could not stop the shot.
The ball tore past Oblak and crashed into the back of the net!
5–2!
"Another goal for Los Blancos!" Palmer roared. "Ødegaard cuts inside and scores! And the architect is his international teammate, Theodore Bjorn!"
"Theodore has two goals and two assists tonight," Terry Gibson added. "He is orchestrating this entire match."
In the Bernabéu stands, more than eighty thousand Real Madrid fans celebrated the demolition of their city rivals.
Sections of the crowd began a Mexican wave.
With less than twenty minutes remaining, Atlético Madrid needed three goals just to salvage a draw.
It was an impossible mountain to climb.
On the Atlético bench, Diego Simeone was livid.
After Ødegaard scored, the Argentine coach kicked over a water cooler in a fit of rage.
"Useless! A bunch of useless idiots!" Simeone shouted, pacing the technical area.
Despite his fury, Simeone utilized the new substitution rules, making three changes at once.
Diego Costa replaced an exhausted Luis Suárez, Saúl Ñíguez came on for Koke, and Thomas Lemar replaced Yannick Carrasco.
Simeone was throwing everything forward for the final ten minutes.
The Atlético players refused to surrender. Lemar received Saúl's pass on the flank and accelerated.
But Theodore stepped into his path.
Using his elite anticipation, Theodore leaned his shoulder into Lemar, timed the tackle, and stuck out a foot to strip the ball cleanly away.
Atlético's attack crumbled once again. Worse, they were now vulnerable to another counter.
After winning the ball, Kondogbia, Saúl, and Lemar swarmed Theodore in a desperate counter-press.
Trapped in a tight triangle, Theodore remained composed.
His vision caught Vinícius Jr. accelerating into open space down the left.
With a deft flick, Theodore completed the pass. The Atlético trio pressed empty air.
Vinícius charged into the Atlético penalty area.
Stefan Savić stepped across to defend him. But the center-back lacked the agility to cope with the Brazilian winger.
With a sharp change of direction, Vinícius flashed past him.
Beaten, Savić slid in late from behind, taking out Vinícius' trailing leg.
Peep!
Referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz blew the whistle, pointing straight to the penalty spot.
He followed it up by flashing a yellow card at Savić.
"A penalty to Real Madrid!" Palmer announced. "The referee is decisive. Savić takes out the man, leaving Lahoz with no choice."
"If this goes in, the derby is a complete rout," Gibson noted.
Inside the Bernabéu, Theodore collected the ball and approached the twelve-yard spot.
Before he could set it down, Vinícius tapped his shoulder.
"Theo… can I take it?" Vinícius asked, his eyes full of desire.
Theodore handed the ball over without a second thought.
For Theodore, stat-padding with penalties was unnecessary.
Vinícius, however, needed the confidence boost. Since Vinícius had won the foul, Theodore stepped aside.
"Oh! Theodore Bjorn has handed the ball to Vinícius!" Palmer observed. "He has given up the chance to secure a hat-trick!"
"It shows incredible maturity," Gibson praised. "Scoring is easy for Theodore right now. Letting his younger teammate build confidence in a derby is the mark of a true leader."
More than eighty thousand fans watched in silence. Vinícius kept his eyes locked on the ball.
Peep!
Vinícius took a slow, measured run-up. He never looked up at the goalkeeper. He struck the ball with his right instep.
Clang!
The ball crashed flush against the goalpost!
"Ah! Vinícius has missed it!" Palmer shouted. "He hits the woodwork!"
But the danger was not over as the rebound fell straight to Theodore, who had followed the shot into the penalty area.
Atlético's defense scrambled.
Hermoso, Felipe, Kondogbia, and Saúl—four players in total—converged on Theodore to block the anticipated shot.
Theodore drew his left foot back. The four defenders threw themselves into desperate sliding blocks.
But Theodore did not shoot.
He rolled his foot over the ball and squared a gentle pass across the six-yard box.
Vinícius, having continued his run, met the pass and tapped it into the empty net.
6–2!
"Vinícius makes amends!" Palmer cheered. "The ball is in!"
"What an unselfish play from Theodore," Gibson marveled. "He had a clear sight of goal, drew four defenders, and handed Vinícius a tap-in. The score is six-two, and Theodore completes a hat-trick of assists!"
Vinícius sprinted to Theodore, pulling him into a tight embrace.
"Theo, thank you! You let me take the pen, and you still gave me the goal…" Vinícius said earnestly.
"We're teammates," Theodore replied with a calm smile. "It's my job."
Since Theodore had arrived in Madrid, Vinícius had harbored a quiet jealousy.
The Brazilian had once been heralded as the future of the club, only to be eclipsed by the Norwegian prodigy.
But this singular moment shattered that resentment. Vinícius was convinced by Theodore's leadership; the rivalry dissolved into genuine respect.
Atlético Madrid threw in the towel. They stopped pressing and merely passed the ball across their back line to avoid further humiliation.
Diego Simeone did not wait for the final whistle. The Argentine manager turned and walked down the tunnel early.
When the clock hit ninety minutes, Mateu Lahoz added no stoppage time. He blew the final whistle.
Real Madrid had crushed Atlético Madrid 6–2, claiming ultimate bragging rights in the capital.
Theodore Bjorn finished the night with two goals and three assists, directly orchestrating five of the six goals.
Cheers rang out across the Bernabéu as countless Madridistas chanted Theodore's name.
For the Atlético players, the night was a disaster. Disappointment and exhaustion marked their faces.
They had started with intensity, disrupting Madrid's rhythm and even taking the lead.
But once Theodore elevated his game, the tactical battle was over.
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