| Real Madrid vs Athletico | |
| MATCH | La Liga |
| DATE | 20 - 09 - 2026 |
| TIME | 07.45 PM IST |
| STADIUM | Riyadh Air |
Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid: Match Preview
Atletico Madrid will welcome city rivals Real Madrid for a highly anticipated Madrid derby, with both sides entering the contest in strong league positions and looking to maintain their recent momentum.
Diego Simeone's Atletico have collected four wins, one draw and one defeat from their opening six La Liga matches. Their 13-point tally currently places them fourth in the table.
The Red and Whites endured a difficult start to September, suffering a 3-0 defeat away to Athletic Bilbao before losing 2-1 to Liverpool in their Champions League opener at Anfield.
However, Atletico have responded impressively. They returned to winning ways with a 3-0 victory over Real Sociedad before producing an even more convincing display against Osasuna, securing a 4-0 victory in their most recent league outing.
Simeone's side will also be determined to respond after losing the previous Madrid derby 3-2 in March. Atletico did enjoy a memorable home victory over Real Madrid last season, winning 5-2 at the Metropolitano.
Atletico finished fourth in La Liga last season, 25 points behind champions Barcelona, and they will be hoping to remain involved in the title race for longer this time around.
Real Madrid chasing another derby victory
Real Madrid arrive at the Metropolitano after securing a dramatic 3-2 victory over Elche.
Jose Mourinho's side appeared to be heading towards a 2-2 draw before Carlos Espi scored a late winner to give Los Blancos all three points.
Madrid have suffered one league defeat this season, losing 1-0 away to Real Betis in September. They have responded strongly since then, defeating Inter Milan in the Champions League before recording consecutive La Liga victories against Rayo Vallecano and Elche.
Real Madrid currently sit second in the standings with 15 points, three behind leaders Barcelona. As a result, the derby represents another important opportunity for Mourinho's side to maintain pressure at the top of the table.
The fixture comes at a busy point in Madrid's schedule, with Real Madrid also set to face Villarreal around the international break before returning to Champions League action against Roma in October.
Los Blancos have already recorded five league victories this season and will be looking to extend their impressive historical record against Atletico, having defeated their city rivals 125 times previously.
Recent Form
Atletico Madrid – La Liga:
W, D, W, L, W, W
Atletico Madrid – All Competitions:
D, W, L, L, W, W
Real Madrid – La Liga:
W, W, W, L, W, W
Real Madrid – All Competitions:
W, W, L, W, W, W
Team News
Atletico Madrid will make late assessments on Julian Alvarez, Pablo Barrios and Alexander Sorloth ahead of Sunday's derby.
Alvarez has missed Atletico's last two matches due to a muscular problem. Although the Argentina international could potentially make the bench, he is not expected to be fit enough to start.
Jonathan David should retain his place after scoring against Osasuna, while Lee Kang-in and Alex Baena are also expected to feature from the start.
Real Madrid remain without Eder Militao, Rodrygo and Ferland Mendy, who continue to recover from their respective injuries.
Denzel Dumfries is expected to return at right-back, replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold, while Jude Bellingham is also set to come back into the starting XI.
Bernardo Silva is pushing for involvement, but Mourinho is expected to continue with Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde in central midfield.
Vinicius Junior has scored only once for Real Madrid so far this season, but the Brazilian is expected to retain his place in the starting lineup for the derby.
With Atletico recovering strongly from their difficult September start and Real Madrid keeping pace with Barcelona at the top of the table, the latest Madrid derby promises to be another fiercely contested encounter. Both teams have demonstrated considerable attacking quality in recent matches, while their respective defensive setups could play a major role in determining the outcome.
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