One of the biggest fixtures on the football calendar will take place at Bernabeu on Sunday evening, with Real Madrid welcoming Atletico Madrid for the latest instalment of the Madrid derby.
Real Madrid are currently top of the La Liga table, boasting 57 points from their 22 matches this season, while Atletico sit third, 10 points behind their capital rivals ahead of this contest.
Real Madrid will enter Sunday’s contest off the back of a 2-0 success over Getafe on Thursday evening, with Joselu’s brace allowing Carlo Ancelotti’s side to record their 18th La Liga victory of the campaign.
Los Blancos are top of the division on 57 points, two points ahead of second-placed Girona, with the team’s only league defeat this term coming away to Atletico on September 24.
Ancelotti’s team have won each of their last six league matches, and they now have two huge fixtures in Spain’s top flight against Atletico and Girona before the small matter of a trip to Germany for the first leg of their last-16 Champions League contest against RB Leipzig.
This will be Real Madrid’s fourth game against Atletico this season, and they were beaten 4-2 by the Red and Whites in the Copa del Rey on January 18, but they managed to record a 5-3 victory over Diego Simeone’s side in the semi-finals of the Spanish Super Cup earlier in the month before beating Barcelona in the final.
Los Blancos have comfortably the best defensive record in La Liga this season, only conceding 14 times, which is even more impressive considering that they have been without their number one goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and first-choice centre-back Eder Militao due to ACL injuries.
Real Madrid will know the importance of picking up a positive result here ahead of their clash with Girona, and the division leaders have been strong at home in the league this season, winning nine and drawing one of their 10 matches, with Rayo Vallecano the only side to avoid defeat.
Atletico have somewhat gone under the radar this season, but the Red and Whites are enjoying a strong campaign across the board, with the team in the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey and last-16 stage of the Champions League.
Simeone’s side will bring a five-game winning run into this contest, including a 2-1 success over Rayo Vallecano in their last league match, which moved them onto 47 points from 22 matches this season courtesy of a record of 15 wins, two draws and five defeats.
The Red and Whites are level on points with fourth-placed Barcelona and five points ahead of Athletic Bilbao in fifth, but their away form in La Liga this term has been patchy, picking up just 13 points from 10 matches.
As expected, Atletico’s results at Wanda Metropolitano have again been excellent, boasting comfortably the best home record in the division, but they have just four away league wins to their name this term.
Atletico have not managed to beat Real Madrid at Bernabeu in Spain’s top flight since February 2016, but they have only lost one of their last four league encounters with their bitter rivals.
Simeone’s side also managed to boost their squad during the January transfer window with the additions of Arthur Vermeeren, Horatiu Moldovan and Gabriel Paulista.
Real Madrid are sweating over the fitness of Antonio Rudiger, who was forced off against Getafe on Thursday evening due to a thigh problem, and he now faces a late examination.
Fellow centre-backs Militao and David Alaba are long-term absentees with serious knee injuries, alongside goalkeeper Courtois, while Aurelien Tchouameni, who is another option to play at the back, is suspended, having picked up a late booking in the two-goal success over Getafe.
Dani Carvajal or Ferland Mendy will play in the middle if Rudiger is not available, but there is hope that he will be able to overcome the knock to feature alongside Nacho, having been named in the squad.
Joselu could find himself back on the bench despite scoring twice against Getafe, while Eduardo Camavinga, Toni Kroos and Carvajal are also set to return to the XI following Thursday’s game.
As for Atletico, Jose Gimenez, Cesar Azpilicueta and Thomas Lemar are unavailable for selection this weekend, but Alvaro Morata is winning his battle to be fit to take on his former club.
Head coach Simeone will make a number of changes from the side that took to the field for the first whistle against Rayo Vallecano, with Nahuel Molina, Samuel Lino, Rodrigo De Paul, Koke and Antoine Griezmann all expected to be in the starting side.
Memphis Depay will join Griezmann in attack if Morata fails a late fitness test, while Vermeeren is likely to be on the bench alongside fellow January signings Paulista and Moldovan.
Real Madrid possible starting lineup:
Lunin; Carvajal, Rudiger, Nacho, Mendy; Valverde, Camavinga, Kroos; Bellingham; Rodrygo, Vinicius
Atletico Madrid possible starting lineup:
Oblak; Witsel, Hermoso, Reinildo; Molina, De Paul, Koke, Saul, Lino; Griezmann, Morata
This is a really difficult match to call for obvious reasons; it is tough to back Atletico due to their away struggles this season, especially considering Real Madrid’s form at home. This is set to be a cagey affair, and we are expecting the points to be shared on Sunday night, which would be a positive result for both sides under the circumstances.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
