The latest instalment of the Madrid derby between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid will take place at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano on Sunday.
Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid will both be looking to extend their winning streaks to three games when they lock horns in what promises to be a high-voltage Madrid derby.
The home team are fourth on the table, with 13 points in their six league outings. They have won four, lost one, and played out a draw. Following their first league defeat at the hands of Athletic Club (0-3), Atletico Madrid lost 2-1 to Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League.
However, they have since bounced back with consecutive wins in La Liga against Real Sociedad and Osasuna. Their 4-0 win over Osasuna was a dominant display that will give them a lot of confidence heading into this fixture against their city rivals.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid are second on the table with 15 points in their six outings. While the Merengues were off to a flying start with three consecutive league wins, they suffered a disappointing 1-0 defeat at the hands of Real Betis in matchday 4.
Despite dominating the proceedings, they ended up on the wrong side. However, Jose Mourinho’s men have since bounced back with three consecutive wins across competitions. In their last outing, they secured a 3-2 win over Elche. While they got the job done, Los Blancos allowed them to bounce back after taking a 2 goal lead.
Defensively, Real Madrid are still a big question mark, and their attack is yet to fire on all cylinders. As a result, the game against Atletico Madrid won’t be easy. Diego Simeone’s men have been playing some quality football of late, and they will certainly make life difficult for Jose Mourinho’s men in their own backyard. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
Team News & Tactics
Atletico Madrid
Julian Alvarez (muscle), Pablo Barrios (muscle), and Alexander Sorloth (muscle) will undergo late fitness tests to determine their availability for the Madrid derby.
Atletico Madrid are expected to line up in a 4-4-2 formation against Real Madrid, with Jan Oblak starting between the sticks. Marcos Llorente and Alejandro Grimaldo should feature as the full-backs, while Cristian Romero is likely to partner Robin Le Normand in the heart of the defence.
In midfield, Lee Kang-in and Alex Baena are expected to take charge on the flanks. They will support the full-backs and look to provide width to their attacks. Koke and Johnny Cardoso should form the central midfield pairing, with the duo tasked with controlling possession and protecting the backline.
Up front, Jonathan David is likely to line up alongside Ademola Lookman. The two forwards will look to combine effectively and make the most of the chances that come their way. Lookman could look to drift wide, while David will be more like a target man.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Oblak; Llorente, Romero, Le Normand, Grimaldo; Lee, Koke, Cardoso, Baena; David, Lookman
Real Madrid
The team in white will be without the services of Eder Militao (muscle), Rodrygo (knee), and Ferland Mendy (hip). The good news is that they do not have any fresh injury concerns, allowing Jose Mourinho to start with a very strong XI.
Real Madrid are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Thibaut Courtois starting between the sticks. Denzel Dumfries is expected to return to the starting XI to take charge on the right flank, while Marc Cucurella will take care of defensive duties on the other flank. In the heart of the defence, Ibrahima Konate will most likely partner with Dean Huijsen.
In midfield, Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni should form the double pivot. While the idea of having Bernardo Silva in the centre of the park will be tempting, Tchouameni offers greater defensive solidity, which is needed in such a high-stakes derby.
Arda Guler and Vinicius Junior are expected to occupy the wide areas. While Vinicius will look to use his pace and dribbling, Guler will look to make that decisive pass and bring others into action. Jude Bellingham could take up the number ten role behind Kylian Mbappe, who will lead the line for Real Madrid against Atletico Madrid.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Dumfries, Konate, Huijsen, Cucurella; Valverde, Tchouameni; Guler, Bellingham, Vinicius Junior; Mbappe
Key Stats
- In the last 56 games between the two teams, Los Blancos have won 24 games, while 15 have gone in the favour of Atletico Madrid.
- In their 3-0 win over Real Sociedad, Atletico Madrid scored all three goals after the 84th minute mark.
- Diego Simeone’s side have kept consecutive clean sheets in La Liga after beating Real Sociedad 3-0 and Osasuna 4-0.
- Real Madrid have required stoppage-time goals from Carlos Espi to secure victories in two of their six La Liga matches this season.
- Heading into this fixture, Vinicius Junior has only managed one goal in his seven outings across competitions.
Player to Watch
Arda Guler
While Guler only has one goal and three assists in his six league outings this season, the Turkish gem has been one of their best players in the initial phase of the new season. He has created a truckload of chances for the stars around them.
If the Real Madrid forwards were at their best, the 21-year-old would have had much better numbers. Having said that, he will certainly be one of the biggest headaches for Atletico. Failure to stop him could cost them the game.
