Game of the Week: Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid Preview
Two Madrid rivals await the derby as second and third placed teams in La Liga, but in very opposite mood. Real will try to respond to a heavy midweek loss in Sevilla, while Atletico have caught right form and have three wins in a row.
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Atletico are undefeated in last four against Real Madrid,
Real Madrid under Julen Lopetegui had strong start to the new season, but last two weeks things don't look so good anymore. After the break Madrid managed to save a point in Bilbao, then defeated Espanyol 1-0 at Bernabeu, but then real shock came.
Barcelona lost away to Leganes, so Los Merengues had the opportunity to go to the top with three points from Sanchez Pizjuan. However, in Sevilla they had different plans. Andre Silva scored two in the first twenty minutes, and Wissam Ben Yedder added one more before the break. Real couldn't strike back in the second half, and suffered the first defeat of this season.
Real Madrid await their cross city rivals without injured Isco Alcorcon, while Dani Carvajal and Marcelo are in doubt.
Real Madrid were regularly beating Atletico during past decade, but arrival of Diego Simeone changed things. This summer in the UEFA Super Cup Real and Atletico drew 2-2 in Tallinn, but Atletico eventually lifted the the trophy after they scored two goals in extra time. Last season in the La Liga Real and Atletico drew in both occasions, it was 1-1 at Santiago Bernabeu and 0-0 at Wanda Metropolitano.
Atletico didn't have a good start to this season, but slowly things are coming to their place and Los Colchoneros are already at the third spot, just two points behind today's rivals and Barcelona. Last weekend Thomas Lemar scored two for three points against Getafe, and then Atletico took three more points against poor Huesca.
The league newcomers were no match for the Madrid side who solved everything in the first 45 minutes. Antoine Grizemann, Thomas Partey and Koke Resurrecion scored three goals in half an hour and that was enough for Atletico who routinely managed to finish the match.
Santiago Arias is injured since the break, while Uruguayan center back Jose Gimenez won't play too because of injury. Stefan Savić is still under doubt.
After a poor start to the season Atletico Madrid have enjoyed a productive last ten days, recording wins against Monaco, Getafe and Huesca. They will be confident due to that momentum but also with the fact that they managed to stay unbeaten in last four meetings against their bitter rivals.
Odds and Predictions
I have few doubts about Real Madrid after their last couple of performances. On one hand they were brilliant against Roma, but really poor in Sevilla. Atletico under Simeone were never team that can delight masses, but they were alway cynical and productive. After couple of poor performances, they seem to be in much better form ahead of this derby. The visitors are undefeated in last four against Real Madrid, and I think they can avoid defeat once again.
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Editor's Pick
Asian handicap +0.5 on Atletico Madrid @1.74.