LaLiga, Heated Battle for the Top Spot.

The Madrid Derby: A Heated Battle for the Top Spot

The Madrid derby is the match between the two main football teams in Madrid: Real Madrid Club de Fútbol and Atlético de Madrid. It is a highly anticipated match for the fans and, at the same time, a high-risk encounter for tensions.

A crucial moment for LaLiga: the derby will take place on Saturday evening, during which the winning team will move to the top of the standings. However, attention must be given to Barcelona, who could take advantage of a draw, as they are third, just behind the Madrid teams.

The Spanish league is becoming increasingly exciting: thanks to the results of the last matchday, the gap between the top three teams has narrowed further, making the Madrid derby even more intense. In fact, the importance of this game is higher, as the two Madrid teams are separated by just one point, while Barcelona watches closely, being 4 points behind Real Madrid and 3 points behind Atlético Madrid.

For both teams, a draw would be undesirable, not only because it would allow Barcelona to close the gap (with a victory), but also because it would leave the gap between the two Madrid teams unchanged.

The Origins of the Madrid Derby

The first encounter between the two teams dates back to 1906, with Real Madrid winning 2-1.

Over the years, the two clubs have faced each other in various competitions: Regional Championship of Central Spain, Copa Federación Centro, La Liga, Copa del Rey, Copa de la Liga, Supercopa de España, Champions League, and UEFA Super Cup. The final record between the two clubs is tied, with six wins each. The most prestigious finals were in 2014 in the Champions League, won by Real Madrid 4-1 after extra time, and in 2016, also in the Champions League, where the blancos triumphed 5-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in regular and extra time. The two teams also met in the 2018 UEFA Super Cup, won by Atlético Madrid 4-2 after extra time, a historic final as it was the first edition of the trophy contested between two clubs from the same city.

Golden Era for the Blancos

Real Madrid is performing excellently. In fact, “Los Blancos” are currently at the top of the La Liga standings, with a 1-point lead over Atlético Madrid, who are second. Real Madrid has scored 14 goals in their last 5 matches.

They defeated Leganés 3-2 in the Copa del Rey quarterfinals, with Gonzalo Garcia making his debut and scoring in the 93rd minute. It’s a busy week ahead, with a big Champions League match on Wednesday against Manchester City, currently ranked fifth in the Champions League.

Among the various wins for the Blancos, there was also a 3-0 victory over Brest. An incredible result at Valladolid, where Real Madrid won 3-0 thanks to a hat trick by Mbappé. They also triumphed against Celta Vigo (Copa del Rey), finishing 5-2, and against Las Palmas (4-1). Speaking of the Champions League, they also defeated Salzburg 5-1.

Ancelotti’s Selections

Due to some injuries, Ancelotti mentioned that they might rely on Jacobo Ramon.

Camavinga is the big inclusion in Real Madrid’s squad for tomorrow’s derby against Atlético Madrid at the Bernabéu (21:00). The Frenchman has fully recovered from the muscle injury he sustained on January 16.

Thus, Camavinga leaves Real Madrid’s injury list, where Carvajal, Rüdiger, Alaba, and Militao remain. Courtois, Bellingham, and Mbappé return to the squad after resting during the Leganés match in the Copa del Rey, where Gonzalo was the star, scoring in the last minute to send Real Madrid to the semifinals. The youth player is included in the squad for the derby, alongside Mestre, Jacobo, Lorenzo, and, of course, Asensio.

Real Madrid-Atlético Madrid: Probable Lineups

Real Madrid (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Vazquez, Tchouameni, Asencio, García; Ceballos, Valverde; Bellingham, Rodrygo, Vinicius; Mbappé. Coach: Ancelotti

Atlético Madrid (4-4-2): Oblak; Azpilicueta, Lenglet, Giménez, Llorente; Lino, Barrios, De Paul, Simeone; Álvarez, Griezmann. Coach: Simeone.