Real Madrid’s End To ‘Non-Aggression Pact’ Signals Fight For Talent In Madrid

The long-standing ‘Non-Aggression Pact’ between Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid has well and truly come to an end with Los Blancos set to poach a host of young players from the ranks of the Colchonero’s youth system.

The first deal believed to be done is one for 16-year-old Ariel Nkoghe, a Spanish youth international who plays in central defence, while MARCA claim that more deals could follow.

It sees an end to a period of peace which has gradually been coming to a close between the two heavyweights in the Spanish capital, who are ending a mutual understanding that they would not compete for each other’s players or targets.

Nkoghe is just the latest piece of chess in a boardroom battle which goes all the way to the roots of Spanish football, with Florentino Pérez leading the charge for the European Super League at Real Madrid while Atlético Madrid’s Miguel Ángel Gil Marín sits on the board of LaLiga as a firm opponent.

Backroom staff also poached

Nkoghe is not the first man to make the move from Atlético to Real. Only recently, Real Madrid tempted one of Diego Simeone’s performance analysts to change Simeone’s team for Carlo Ancelotti’s and cross the divide. It was the first sign of the scaling up of tensions.

Furthermore, it has led to off-field tensions. Atlético Madrid published a statement after the Madrid derby in February to criticize refereeing decisions which they believed to be in favor of their neighbors.

That followed a refusal on behalf of Atlético to provide a guard of honor to Real Madrid after the latter were crowned champions of LaLiga at the tail end of the 2021/22 campaign. That did not go down well with players or staff, and such tensions were only deepened this season when racist chants against Vinícius Júnior were heard in the surroundings of the Estadio Cívitas Metropolitano.

The ‘Non-Aggression Pact’

The Pact was established in 2017 as a way of avoiding further conflict between the two clubs. The presidents of both clubs, Enrique Cerezo from Atlético and Florentino Pérez from Real Madrid, reached the deal that summer which effectively served to avoid the two clubs competing against one another for signings.

It was also seen as a way of protecting young players, who would not be poached from the other’s academy unless the player specifically requested to depart as was the case for some youngsters, such as Pablo Barrios.

However, some cases have created tension between the clubs. Figures at Real Madrid believe that Atlético may have been involved in Barrios making the request to leave the club before they signed him.

Now, in 2023, that pact looks to be a thing of the past. And entering into a transfer window this summer, it could be a tense summer in Madrid.