Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid Preview: Team News & Prediction
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The Madrid derby could well be defining in La Liga’s title race as the improved and in-form Real Madrid welcome in-form Atletico Madrid to the Bernabeu on Sunday night.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – Premier Sports / US – ESPN have the exclusive rights to La Liga games in the USA, so any game may be televised on one of their affiliated channels
How to watch online: UK – Premier Player / Disney+ / US – ESPN+
Real Madrid preview: In-form Los Blancos
Real Madrid come into this one on the back of completing a 5-1 aggregate defeat of Manchester City in the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League, courtesy of a 2-1 win over the Cityzens at the Etihad Stadium in midweek in the second-leg.
During their tie against the English giants, Alvaro Arbeloa appears to have stumbled upon something that may well be working in La Liga, too, with a hard-fought victory over a strong Celta Vigo side and then a demolition of Elche last weekend.
Atletico Madrid preview: In-form Los Rojiblancos
Atletico Madrid were given a scare in midweek but eventually comfortably overcame Tottenham Hotspur by seven goals to five on aggregate in the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League as they set up a clash with Barcelona in the quarter-finals.
It proves to be an exciting April for Diego Simeone’s Los Rojiblancos with Atleti also into the Copa del Rey final against Real Sociedad, comfortably cemented inside the top five and the likely UEFA Champions League spots in La Liga this season.
Real Madrid team news: Bellingham could return
Kylian Mbappe returned in midweek and Jude Bellingham, named in the England squad for the March international break, could be available, while Thibaut Courtois is sidelined with Andriy Lunin to start.
Predicted XI (4-1-2-1-2): Lunin; Dani Carvajal, Dean Huijsen, Rudiger, Carreras; Tchouameni; Thiago Pitarch, Camavinga; Guler; Gonzalo Garcia, Vinicius Junior
Unavailable: Courtois (Injured), Dani Ceballos (Injured), Rodrygo (Injured)
Questionable: Eder Militao (Injured), Raul Asencio (Injured), Mendy (Injured), Bellingham (Injured)
Atletico Madrid team news: GK debate
Jan Oblak remains one of the best goalkeepers in the world but he has been dealing with an injury of late and, as he comes back to fitness, it could well be that Juan Musso, who has been excellent, keeps his place at the Bernabeu.
Predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Musso; Le Normand, Jose Maria Gimenez, Lenglet; Nahuel Molina, Marcos Llorente, Koke, Gonzalez; Alex Baena, Almada; Sorloth
Unavailable: Pablo Barrios (Injured)
Questionable: Oblak (Injured), Marc Pubill (Injured), Rodri Mendoza (Injured)
Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid prediction
Heading into the 29th match day of the campaign, Real Madrid sit four points behind Barcelona and in need of one more big push at the end of what has been a hectic fixture list ahead of the March international break. The same is the case for Atleti but without the desperate need and motivation to in, with no real prospects in the title race and no real way of being caught by sixth. Atletico rarely win at the Bernabeu and that shouldn’t really change this time.
Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid tip: Real Madrid to win
