Madrid Review – 3 october 2026

Las Ventas once again displayed the ‘No hay billetes’ sign for the third bullfight of the Feria de Otoño. The cold was noticeable in the stands, but anticipation remained high for an afternoon marked by Marco Pérez’s confirmation of his alternative.

The young Extremaduran faced one of the most important commitments of his career so far. Dressed in fuchsia and gold, he stepped into the Las Ventas arena determined to make the most of his opportunity, although the afternoon had both its high and low points.

His first Victoriano del Río bull gave Marco Pérez the clearest opportunity to display his qualities. From the outset, he looked to connect with the crowd, beginning his muleta work with several knee-flexed passes before finding his best moments on the left.

The left-hand side offered the greater possibilities, and one of the afternoon’s most notable sequences came there. Pérez lowered his hand and linked the passes with elegance, although the faena gradually lost intensity as it progressed.

The sword did not quite complement his work either. Following the estocada, the crowd appreciated his determination and the young matador came out to the barrier to receive an ovation.

The sixth presented a very different challenge. The Victoriano del Río bull offered little opportunity to build a substantial faena, leaving Marco Pérez to rely on his determination and attempt to extract something from an animal that never fully surrendered.

Emilio de Justo unable to find continuity

Emilio de Justo was also unable to complete a fully rounded performance. The Extremaduran produced several quality touches with the first of his two bulls, but lacked the continuity required for the faena to gather momentum.

The fourth produced one of the afternoon’s most structured performances. A well-linked and rhythmic right-handed series allowed De Justo to demonstrate his approach, but once again there was a lack of the emotion needed to turn a sound performance into a truly important one.

His work with the sword ultimately affected his overall result, and the matador was met with silence on both occasions.

Víctor Hernández faces a lacklustre pair

Víctor Hernández encountered two noble bulls, but both shared the same shortcoming: a lack of impetus. This limited the Madrid-born matador’s opportunities, forcing him to work with animals that failed to generate the necessary excitement.

Hernández maintained a determined attitude throughout the afternoon, although his efforts went unrewarded by the crowd.

The Victoriano del Río corrida was serious in appearance and comprised cinqueño bulls, with an uneven performance overall and a tendency to fade as the afternoon progressed. The first bull stood out from the rest for the opportunities it provided during the muleta work.

An afternoon of anticipation and cold in Madrid

The third fixture of the Feria de Otoño drew a completely full house, with the low temperatures contrasting with the considerable anticipation surrounding Marco Pérez’s confirmation.

The young matador left Las Ventas with an initial calling card based on determination, quality with the left hand and several promising passages. His reward came in the form of an ovation, although the afternoon ultimately fell short of the expectations generated by the bill and the packed arena.