Atleticovs.Real Madrid

Atletico are third in the La Liga table, boasting 15 points from their opening seven matches, while the reigning champions Real Madrid sit second on 17 points, four points behind the leaders Barcelona.

Match preview

Atletico last La Liga title came in 2020-21, and not too many have tipped them to finish above Real Madrid and Barcelona in Spain's top flight this season, but a win in the Madrid derby this weekend would certainly send out a title message.

Diego Simeone's side have not been at full flow in the early stages of the 2024-25 campaign, but they are unbeaten, boasting a record of four wins and three draws from seven matches, which has left them in third spot in the table, only two points behind second-placed Real Madrid.

The Red and Whites have the best defensive record in La Liga this season, having only conceded three times, and they have kept clean sheets in five of their last six games in Spain's top flight.

Atletico were held to a 1-1 draw by Rayo Vallecano last weekend, but they returned to winning ways on Thursday evening, with Julian Alvarez's 90th-minute goal securing a 1-0 victory over Celta Vigo, and it is now four wins in their last five matches in all competitions.

The hosts will be aware of the size of the task facing them on Sunday night, but they were incredibly the last team to beat Real Madrid in La Liga, recording a 3-1 victory when the two teams locked horns at Wanda Metropolitano in September 2023.

Real Madrid's unbeaten run in La Liga is currently at 39 matches, and they are closing in on Barcelona's all-time record of 43 games from 2017-18, but they are set for a very tough examination this weekend.

Carlo Ancelotti's side won a La Liga and Champions League double last season, and they are again the favourites in both competitions this term, with the arrival of a certain Kylian Mbappe on a free transfer making them an even stronger outfit, but the Frenchman will miss out on his first Madrid derby through injury.

Real Madrid have won five and drawn two of their seven league games this season to collect 17 points, which has left them second in the table, four points behind division leaders Barcelona.

Los Blancos are on a run of five straight wins in all competitions, including a 3-1 success over Stuttgart in their Champions League opener at Bernabeu on September 17.

Ancelotti's team have also beaten Espanyol and Alaves at home in their last two league games, and they now have three fixtures before the October international break, tackling Atletico and Villarreal in La Liga either side of a Champions League fixture with Lille in France.

Real Madrid have won 116 of their previous 236 matches with Atletico in all competitions, but it would be fair to say that the Red and Whites have had their share of the success in their recent battles.

Atletico Madrid La Liga form:

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Atletico Madrid form (all competitions):

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Real Madrid La Liga form:

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Real Madrid form (all competitions):

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Team News

Atletico are without the services of Cesar Azpilicueta, Thomas Lemar and Pablo Barrios through injury, but the capital giants are otherwise in excellent shape for their contest with Real Madrid.

There will be changes to the side that started the 1-0 win over Celta, with the likes of Alvarez, Rodrigo De Paul and Samuel Lino set to return to the XI.

Alexander Sorloth could be the player to miss out in the final third of the field, with Alvarez likely to feature alongside Antoine Griezmann, while Conor Gallagher is set to have his first taste of the Madrid derby this weekend following his arrival from Chelsea over the summer.

As for Real Madrid, their major team news involves leading goalscorer Mbappe, with the Frenchman out of the contest due to the thigh problem which he suffered against Alaves last time out.

Brahim Diaz, Dani Ceballos and David Alaba are also absent, but Eduardo Camavinga is expected to return to the squad, having recovered from the knee injury that he suffered at the start of the season.

Dani Carvajal will also return, with the Spaniard overcoming the knock that forced him to miss the 3-2 success over Alaves last time out.

Mbappe's absence is expected to lead to Ancelotti switching to a 4-3-1-2 formation, which was heavily used last season, allowing Jude Bellingham to operate behind Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo, with Luka Modric set for a start in the middle of midfield.

Atletico Madrid possible starting lineup:

Oblak; Le Normand, Gimenez, Reinildo; Llorente, De Paul, Koke, Gallagher, Lino; Alvarez, Griezmann

Real Madrid possible starting lineup:

Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Rudiger, Mendy; Valverde, Tchouameni, Modric; Bellingham; Rodrygo, Vinicius

We say: Atletico Madrid 1-1 Real Madrid

The two teams drew 1-1 in their last La Liga meeting in February, and we can see the same scoreline occurring here. Mbappe is a huge miss for Real Madrid, and Atletico are just not conceding goals at the moment, so we have had to settle on a low-scoring draw, which both managers would likely accept ahead of kickoff.

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