Real Madrid vs Atlético – News and Probable Lineups

One of the standout fixtures in the football calendar is set to unfold at the magnificent Bernabeu on Sunday evening, as Real Madrid host their fierce rivals Atletico Madrid in the Madrid derby.

Currently, Real Madrid occupies second place in the La Liga standings, trailing league leaders Barcelona by four points, while Atletico sits in third, nine points adrift of their capital foes.

Match overview

Recent losses to Osasuna and Getafe have left Real Madrid with minimal margin for error in Spain’s top division, and they could find themselves seven points off the top if Barcelona secures a win against Rayo Vallecano on Sunday afternoon.

Thus, the significance of claiming all three points in this encounter cannot be overstated, and they will approach this match buoyed by four consecutive victories across all competitions, two of which were in the league against Celta Vigo and Elche.

Under the guidance of Alvaro Arbeloa, the team boasts a record of 21 victories, three draws, and four defeats from their 28 league encounters this season, and they have triumphed in 12 of their 14 home league matches at the Bernabeu.

Real Madrid heads into this fixture following a 2-1 victory over Manchester City in the second leg of their last-16 Champions League tie, achieving a 5-1 aggregate win that earned them a place in the quarter-finals against the German giants Bayern Munich.

Real Madrid aims for a La Liga and Champions League double towards the end of the season, while also seeking revenge against Atletico for an earlier stunning 5-2 loss when the two clubs last met.

While Atletico drew plenty of confidence from their victory against Real Madrid earlier this season, the teams have met again since then, with Los Blancos emerging as 2-1 winners during the semi-finals of the Spanish Super Cup at the start of this year.

Four of the last six league matches between these two teams have ended in draws, while Real Madrid has not managed to defeat Atletico in Spain’s top tier at the Bernabeu since December 2021, with Atletico securing points in their last three visits.

Currently, Diego Simeone’s side is not in contention for the title at this stage of the campaign, sitting nine points behind Real Madrid and 13 off the top-placed Barcelona, but they sit comfortably in the top four, 13 points clear of fifth-place Real Betis.

Atletico is also pursuing a double in the latter part of the season, having confirmed their place in the Champions League quarter-finals despite a 3-2 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in the second leg of their last-16 tie on Wednesday night.

The Red and Whites, who will clash with Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals, are also set for the Copa del Rey final against Real Sociedad for the trophy on April 18.

Real Madrid La Liga form:

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Real Madrid form (all competitions):

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Atletico Madrid La Liga form:

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Team News

Eder Militao (hamstring), Dani Ceballos (calf), Rodrygo (knee), and Thibaut Courtois (thigh) will all miss out on the match for Real Madrid.

Nonetheless, Ferland Mendy, David Alaba, and Raul Asencio could rejoin the squad, and there may also be a place on the bench for Jude Bellingham, who is back in full training with the Spanish club after recovering from a hamstring injury.

Kylian Mbappe made his return from a knee injury as a substitute against Manchester City and is now expected to play alongside Vinicius Junior in the attacking line, while Alvaro Carreras is also anticipated to return to the starting XI at left-back.

For Atletico, Pablo Barrios (thigh) and Rodrigo Mendoza (muscle) will miss the match due to injuries, while Jan Oblak remains a significant doubt due to a hip complaint.

This opens the possibility for Juan Musso to retain his place in goal.

Marc Pubill is likely to be back for Atletico in defense this weekend, while there could also be a spot for Alexander Sorloth in attack, possibly leading to Antoine Griezmann being benched for the Madrid derby.

Julian Alvarez’s future is generating a lot of speculation, and the Argentina international will be aiming to add to his tally of 17 goals this season.

Real Madrid probable starting XI:

Monday; Alexander-Arnold, Rudiger, Huijsen, Carreras; Camavinga, Tchouameni, Valverde; Guler; Mbappe, Vinicius

Atletico Madrid probable starting XI:

Musso; Molina, Pubill, Hancko, Ruggeri; Simeone, Llorente, Cardoso, Lookman; Sorloth, Alvarez

Real Madrid has not beaten Atletico at the Bernabeu in La Liga since December 2021, yet we anticipate the hosts to secure all three points in this encounter; Mbappe’s return is a significant boost, and Arbeloa’s team should be able to achieve a much-needed victory.