An action-packed weekend concludes with the ultimate highlight, as Real Madrid host Atletico Madrid in the third Madrid Derby of the season.
Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid demonstrated La Liga’s dominance in the Champions League this week, with Los Blancos defeating Manchester City 5-1 on aggregate and Los Colchoneros eliminating Tottenham 7-5 on aggregate.
The situation in La Liga, however, is much tighter, and Real Madrid need the win far more than Atletico, who have an almost certain spot in the top four and no chance at the title.
Atletico are phenomenal at home, but their form on the road is inconsistent to say the least, with just two wins in their last five away games.
Additionally, Atletico have scored the fewest goals on the road of any team in the top six (13). Real Madrid won’t get a better opportunity to end their winless streak against their city rivals.
How the bookies view it: Los Blancos to secure the points
Bookmakers give Los Blancos the nod in this pivotal clash, as there is a huge gap in the odds.
You can currently back Real Madrid at 19/20, while Atletico Madrid are available at 5/2. With the draw being a common result between these giants, you can opt for it again at 3/1.
Recent head-to-head: A win each this season
Recent history is very much against Real Madrid here, as Los Blancos have not won a La Liga H2H since 2022 (D4, L2). They have, however, found success on multiple occasions in other competitions.
Real Madrid eliminated Los Colchoneros from the Super Cup in January, and did the same in the Champions League 1/8 finals last year. But the fact remains that their last home win over Atletico in the domestic league goes back to 2021.
Players to watch: Vinicius Jr. is unstoppable at home
There is no better time to back Vinicius Junior to score than now. This will be the 25-year-old’s 13th league H2H with Atletico Madrid, and he has never scored a La Liga goal against them.
However, he scored 12 his last 15 La Liga goals at the Bernabeu, so he clearly plays better at home than away. His midweek brace brought Real Madrid the win in Manchester, so he can rise to the occasion again when he faces Atletico Madrid.
Backed a player to find the net? Check our Goalscorer Betting guide to see how the markets work and where to find value.
Probable line-ups
Real Madrid: Lunin, Carvajal, Rudiger, Huijsen, Carreras, Valverde, Tchouameni, Camavinga, Bellingham, Mbappe, Vinicius
Atletico Madrid: Oblak, Molina, Pubill, Hancko, Ruggeri, Llorente, Koke, Giuliano, Lookman, Griezman, Alvarez
Anything else catch the eye?
Real Madrid have struggled to beat Atletico Madrid at home lately, although they haven’t lost either. The last three La Liga home H2Hs were 1-1 draws, and a similar result is not out of the question.
Nevertheless, Los Colchoneros have not exactly impressed with their away performances lately. Their only win in the last five away games in all competitions was a narrow 1-0 away at relegation-threatened Real Oviedo.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid won nine of their last 10 home matches, while scoring 2+ goals for each win. We should see goals from both sides, but we have to back Real Madrid to win this time.
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