Madrid Review – 9 May 2026

The second bullfight of the San Isidro Fair proved to be an uphill struggle at Las Ventas. The La Quinta bulls, highly anticipated by many aficionados because of the ranch’s respected reputation, offered very limited opportunities and made life difficult for all three matadors. Only the sixth bull broke the pattern of a grey and disappointing afternoon, allowing Tomás Rufo to emerge as the standout performer of the day.

With another “sold out” crowd filling the stands, Madrid witnessed a corrida marked by the lack of strength, emotion and fighting spirit from the bulls. The La Quinta animals were well presented and typical of the Santa Coloma bloodline in appearance, but overall they lacked drive and produced rough, dull and inconsistent charges.

Tomás Rufo made the most of the only clear opportunity of the afternoon with the sixth bull. From the opening moments of the faena, it was evident that this animal carried more rhythm and quality than the rest of the encierro. The young matador from Toledo began with calm and controlled passes close to the body, quickly connecting with the Las Ventas crowd.

His best work came on the right hand, where the bull responded with greater rhythm and continuity, allowing Rufo to link together elegant and well-tempered series. The young swordsman produced the deepest and most emotional passages of the entire corrida, briefly lifting a crowd desperate for excitement.

However, just when a triumph seemed within reach, the sword let him down. A poorly placed killing thrust followed by several failed attempts with the descabello cooled the audience’s enthusiasm, and the performance ended with applause after a warning.

Daniel Luque showed determination and commitment throughout the afternoon, particularly with the fifth bull, a difficult animal from which he managed to extract several meritorious muletazos through persistence and experience during the final stages of the faena. The Sevillian also produced the best cape work of the corrida with the second bull, although the lack of quality in his lot ultimately prevented any chance of success.

Miguel Ángel Perera also found little to work with. The Extremaduran matador displayed professionalism and technical skill against two bulls lacking both stamina and willingness, receiving protests after his first and silence after the fourth.

The afternoon also featured notable performances from the banderilleros. Juan Contreras and Jesús Arruga received an ovation after banderillas on the second bull, while Fernando Sánchez once again earned recognition from the Las Ventas crowd for his brilliant work on both the third and sixth bulls, alongside Sergio Blasco.

San Isidro continues in Madrid with packed crowds as a constant feature, although this particular afternoon was heavily affected by the disappointing performance of a bullfight that only showed a glimpse of quality in the final bull of the day.