Real Madrid will be hoping they can finally exorcise the demons of their local derby rivals when they host Atletico Madrid at the Bernabeu in their second game of the La Liga season.
This will be the fourth clash between the clubs in this crusade and the third of calendar year 2024. This will be their last meeting of the season, unless fate decides that they will meet again in the Champions League, as either two is still alive. the knockout level will begin at the end of this month.
Atleti have proved by far the biggest source of frustration for Carlo Ancelotti this campaign, having overcome Los Blancos their only two defeats of the season in all competitions, while the third required extra time for Real Madrid to secure victory in the Spanish Super Cup.
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With Real Madrid in control of their destiny at the top of the La Liga table but constantly under pressure from big rivals Girona, Los Blancos can’t make another mistake against Diego Simeone here. They are one point behind leaders Girona with one game. in hand, so any missed point would cause them to lose full control of their own name aspirations.
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Atletico Madrid have proven to be a deeply flawed but also incredibly resilient team this season, and they seem to have extra apparatus when facing their local rivals.
The three between the two clubs this season have been exciting, with Atletico Madrid winning the first league game 3-1 at home before losing 5-3 in extra time in the Super Cup. Diego Simeone regained supremacy with a 4-2 win in the Copa del Rey. win, seeing Real Madrid pull out of the festival much earlier than expected.
Given that, beating Real Madrid three times in a season would be a stunning accomplishment, especially considering nobody else in the entire year has managed to do it once. A rested Jude Bellingham is back from yellow card suspension, Vinicius Jr is in sensational form, and Los Blancos will even the score for the year. It certainly would be the perfect launching point for a storybook fifth meeting of the year should they match up in the Champions League in the coming months.
Although any of these clubs can play with cautious end results, it is quite unexpected that the betting market has set the overall target so low considering how the first three clashes of the season between Madrid’s rivals have gone. In 300 minutes of play, these two teams have scored 18 goals between them, adding 10 for Atleti and 8 for Real Madrid.
Chances are, there’s some other blockbuster mystery on the agenda. Knowing he doesn’t have the players needed to execute the defensive taste on which his reputation has been built, Diego Simeone has shed those chains in favor of a much more competitive team and high-risk tactical approach. Although Jan Oblak has performed well throughout the season, he has made some mistakes against his Madrid rivals in head-to-head meetings this season, and Real Madrid’s defence has been particularly weakened by injuries.
Neither club has kept a clean sheet in this rivalry for six consecutive meetings, with at least three goals in five of those six games. It’s hard to imagine them regressing here, knowing that both clubs have tons riding on collecting all three points.
The chances for those 3 superstars are simply too juicy to pass up, as the betting market expects a regression in front of the target here rather than some other offensive attack.
Atletico Madrid talisman Antoine Griezmann has scored in all three meetings between the clubs this season, and has been electric in both the creative and finishing departments, with 18 goals and seven assists across 32 appearances in all competitions this season. He has an assist in each of the club’s last four league games, and is a great bet to be heavily involved here with goals likely to flow.
His strike partner, Alvaro Morata, continues to devour chances in front of goal, with 19 so far this year. He was absent from the last game against Rayo Vallecano with a slight muscle injury, but he has compatibility to start here according to reports, he scored a brace in the opposing league match this season and also scored in the Copa del Rey victory, in a position to continue his solid performances against Los Blancos.
Finally, if Real Madrid needs to get a win and tie the score this season, Vinicius Jr will have to continue his smart form. He’s been electric lately, scoring 4 goals in his last 4 league games with 17 shots worth a combined 3. 07 xG. The Brazilian’s supernatural dribbling parted the seas, completing a dribble once every 24. 31 minutes, the second-most by any player set in the league this year.
Like the entire 2023/24 La Liga season, this Madrid derby will be broadcast exclusively on ESPN. Surprisingly, it was not decided to broadcast the match on ESPN’s television platforms, as some La Liga matches throughout the season will be broadcast on ESPN Deportes or other channels.
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The match can be enjoyed in the United Kingdom through ViaPlay Sports 1, streaming on LaLigaTV. In Canada, this championship match will be broadcast exclusively on TSN.