Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid Preview: How to Watch on TV, Live Stream, Kick Off Time, Team News
It's one of the biggest games in La Liga's calendar on Saturday night as Real Madrid take on bitter rivals, and league leaders, Atletico Madrid.
Zinedine Zidane's men clawed their way back from the brink of Champions League elimination in midweek, as two goals from the irrepressible Karim Benzema helped them overcome Borussia Moenchengladbach in a must-win game.
Atletico Madrid also sealed Champions League qualification in midweek thanks to a 2-0 win over entertaining Salzburg, sealed by goals from Mario Hermoso and Yannick Carrasco. It's domestically though where Diego Simeone's side have impressed most, remaining unbeaten in La Liga after winning eight and drawing two of their opening ten games.
Here's 90min's preview of what should be a monumental clash.
Where to Watch
When Is Kick Off? Saturday 12 December
What Time Is Kick Off? 20:00 (GMT)
Where Is it Played? Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium
TV Channel/Live Stream? La Liga TV (UK)
Team News
Real Madrid welcomed back Sergio Ramos to the starting lineup in midweek as they returned to winning ways, following four games out with a hamstring problem. Eden Hazard, Fede Valverde and Luka Jovic are all still on the treatment table, while Martin Odegaard is doubtful with a leg injury.
Atleti are in great form at the moment and one factor in their success has been keeping the majority of their squad fit and healthy.
Diego Costa and Jose Gimenez are the only players that Simeone will be without at the weekend. Luis Suarez and Joao Felix are pushing to start up front together, while Marcos Llorente could start in midfield against his former club.
Predicted Lineups
Real Madrid: Courtois; Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Mendy; Casemiro, Modric, Kroos; Vazquez, Benzema, Vinicius Jr
Atletico Madrid: Oblak; Trippier, Savic, Felipe, Hermoso; Saul, Koke, Llorente, Carrasco; Felix, Suarez
Recent Form
Real Madrid have been very stop-start this season, but recent form doesn't reflect too badly on Los Blancos.
Three wins out of five, mixed in with two defeats, isn't up to the club's usual high standards, but the midweek win over Gladbach was impressive and should stand them in good stead for a very tough weekend test.
Atletico Madrid are unbeaten in 26 La Liga games stretching back to last season and currently sit top, one point clear of Real Sociedad with two games in hand. They've won their last three away games in La Liga too, conceding just one goal in that time.
Here's how both fared in their last five games.
Real Madrid
Real Madrid 2-0 Gladbach (09/12)
Sevilla 0-1 Real Madrid (05/12)
Shakhtar 2-0 Real Madrid (01/12)
Real Madrid 1-2 Alaves (28/11)
Inter 0-2 Real Madrid (25/11)
Atletico Madrid
RB Salzburg 0-2 Atletico Madrid (09/12)
Atletico Madrid 2-0 Real Valladolid (05/12)
Atletico Madrid 1-1 Bayern Munich (01/12)
Valencia 0-1 Atletico Madrid (28/11)
Atletico Madrid 0-0 Lokomotiv Moscow (25/11)
Prediction
Real Madrid will take confidence from the fact that captain fantastic Ramos - one of 90min's five world class centre-backs of 2020 - is back, and they are unbeaten in home league derbies over the past four seasons - also keeping a clean sheet in their last three games against Atletico in all competitions.
That said, Atletico will be confident of turning over their rivals, particularly as they've already seen both Alaves and Cadiz go to the Alfredi Di Stefano Stadium and come away with three points.
Atletico have found a balance between scoring goals and defending very well this season but Zidane has a knack of pulling out big results in big games. It should be an entertaining game, and one that they may see the shares spoiled come full time.
Prediction: Real Madrid 1-1 Atletico Madrid