La Liga leaders Real Madrid will be hosting second-placed Atletico Madrid in the latest instalment of the Madrid derby at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday.
Any fixture involving Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid already has a lot at stake given the rivalry. But this time around it could prove to be a fixture that ends up having a big say on the La Liga title race as only a point separates Carlo Ancelotti and Diego Simeone’s teams at the very top of the table.
Los Blancos had a four-point lead at the top of the standings. However, a defeat in their last league outing means they could lose the top spot if they fail to avoid a defeat against their city rivals.
Real Madrid are heading into this fixture on the back of a 3-2 win over Leganes in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey, and they will be hoping to return to winning ways in La Liga. However, it won’t be easy to go up against Atletico Madrid without any of their first-choice centre-backs.
Los Rojiblancos have the opportunity to reclaim the top spot in the league with a win here. While they have only won one out of their last three league games, Atletico Madrid have won each of their last three games across competitions scoring 11 goals in total.
The Colchoneros are heading into this fixture on the back of a massive 5-0 win over Getafe in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey. Simeone’s team will be confident of getting the better of their rivals in their backyard. The Hard Tackle takes a close look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Real Madrid
While Real Madrid do have a boost as quite a few of their first-team stars will be back in the mix after being rested last time out, they will be without any of their first-choice centre-backs as Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba have joined Eder Militao and Dani Carvajal on the sidelines.
The team in white will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Thibaut Courtois will take charge in goal. Lucas Vazquez and Ferland Mendy will be the full-backs, while Raul Asencio will partner Aurelien Tchouameni at the heart of the defence.
Federico Valverde and Eduardo Camavinga will form the double pivot in midfield. They will look to ensure they have the majority of the ball. Jude Bellingham will reprise the number ten role, while Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior will feature on the flanks. Kylian Mbappe will lead the line for Real Madrid against Atletico Madrid.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Vazquez, Tchouameni, Asencio, Mendy; Valverde, Camavinga; Rodrygo, Bellingham, Vinicius; Mbappe
Atletico Madrid
Diego Simeone’s team will be making this trip without Robin Le Normand as he is suspended for this fixture. Pablo Barrios was the only concern but he is back in training and should play a part here.
The visitors will line up in a 4-4-2 formation, where Jan Oblak will be in goal. Marcos Llorente and Javi Galan will be the full-backs, while Jose Gimenez will partner with Clement Lenglet at the heart of the defence.
Giuliano Simeone and Conor Gallagher will feature on the flanks in midfield, while Barrios will partner with Conor Gallagher in a central role. They will look to shield the backline and control the tempo of the game. In the final third, Julian Alvarez should partner with veteran French star Antoine Griezmann.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Oblak; Llorente, Gimenez, Lenglet, Galan; Simeone, De Paul, Barrios, Gallagher; Alvarez, Griezmann
Key Stats
- The last two league meetings between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid have ended in a 1-1 draw.
- Atletico Madrid are unbeaten in their last four league games against Real Madrid.
- Diego Simeone’s team have not won a league fixture at the Santiago Bernabeu since 2016.
- Real Madrid were on a four-match winning streak in La Liga before suffering a defeat at the hands of Espanyol.
- Atletico Madrid have won their last three games across competitions heading into this fixture.
Player to Watch
Kylian Mbappe
While Mbappe was off to a slow start at his new club, he has certainly picked up pace in recent months. So, the 26-year-old will be hoping to have a big say on the end result of this all-important fixture. The French international has 21 goals and three assists, and he will be looking to add to it in the Madrid derby.
Prediction
Real Madrid 3-1 Atletico Madrid
It is going to be a very closely fought encounter between two of the biggest clubs in Spain. While one might consider Atletico Madrid to be the favourites as Carlo Ancelotti’s team do not have any of their first-choice centre-backs available, they might still find a way to get the job done.
Los Blancos will have a lot of defending to do but in the end, their star-studded attack should get them over the line. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for Carlo Ancelotti and his charges in the derby.
