Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid- One of the biggest fixtures on the football calendar will take place at Bernabeu on Sunday, with Real Madrid welcoming Atletico Madrid for the latest instalment of the Madrid derby.
Los Blancos haven’t lost at home all season, winning nine of their 10 league games. They are unbeaten in the last nine head-to-head fixtures on home soil.
The Madrid rivals are set to go head-to-head for the fourth time in this 2023-24 season.
Atletico beat Real 3-1 in LaLiga in September, lost a thrilling Spanish Super Cup semifinal 5-3 after extra time last month, and then, two weeks ago, won a Copa del Rey round-of-16 tie 4-2. This Sunday, Simeone will lead Atletico to the Bernabeu for the rivalry’s latest chapter, this time back in LaLiga.
Real Madrid will enter the home game as the table topper. They are two points ahead of second-placed Girona, who have 55 points in 22 matches. Meanwhile, Atletico are holding the third place in the La Liga standings with 47 points in the same number of games.
Diego Simeone’s men will be looking to close the 10-point gap with Real and maintain an outside chance in the title race.
Real returned to the top of the table having won their last six league games straight, most recently, with a 2-0 win over Getafe on Thursday. They are the favourite to be the winner here and move 13 points clear of their city rivals.
Atletico arrive at the Bernabeu in impressive form themselves, winning four of their last five matches in La Liga. The only blip of late was the 4-3 defeat at Girona, who could sit in first before kick-off if they win their game against Real Sociedad on Saturday.
Atletico have not managed to beat Real Madrid at Bernabeu in Spain’s top flight since February 2016.
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.
What time does Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid kick-off?
Date/Time: Sunday 4 February with kick off at 8 p.m. GMT / 3 p.m. ET / 12 noon PT, 01:30 a.m. IST (India, Monday 5 February).
Location: Madrid, Spain.
Stadium: Santiago Bernabeu
Referee: Jose Maria Sanchez Martinez.
VAR: Eduardo Prieto Iglesias.
Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)-
Real Madrid : 2 wins
Atletico Madrid : 2 wins
Draws : 1
Last meeting : Atletico Madrid 4-2 Real Madrid (AET) (Copa del Rey) – 18 January 2024
Team News and Predicted Lineup –
Real Madrid –
Jude Bellingham has undoubtedly exceeded all expectations since moving to Real Madrid in the summer. He can reach 20 goal contributions in the league if he can score or assist on Sunday.This will lead him to be targeted by Diego Simeone.
Also, he received a yellow card in two of the three meetings with Atletico this season.
Madrid are nervously waiting to see how Antonio Rudiger pulls up before the capital derby. The Germany international came off at half-time against Getafe, though manager Carlo Ancelotti has backed him to recover in time.
Los Blancos are already without centre-backs Eder Militao and David Alaba due to significant injuries. Aurelien Tchouameni is suspended after picking up a fifth booking of the season.
Possible starting lineup : Lunin, Carvajal, Rudiger, Nacho, Garcia, Valverde, Kroos, Camavinga, Bellingham, Rodrygo, Vinicius Jr.
Atletico Madrid –
Alvaro Morata is on track to register the best goalscoring league season of his career having netted 13 La Liga goals so far in 2023/24, but a muscle injury means he won’t be fit to face his former club on Sunday. Memphis Depay is his most likely replacement.
Antoine Griezmann is available and will be eyeing a repeat of his sensational goal when Atleti beat their city rivals 4-2 in the Copa del Rey in mid January.
Possible starting lineup : Oblak, Hermoso, Witsel, Reinildo, Molina, De Paul, Koke, Barrios, Lino, Griezmann, Depay.
