Big Game Focus: Atletico Madrid v Real Madrid

Atletico Madrid will host Real Madrid in the Madrid derby at the Wanda Metropolitano in one of the fiercest derbies on the continent this weekend. Bet on football here.

Both teams began their La Liga season in contrasting fashion, but this is not expected to play any role when they take to the pitch. Atletico won their first three games but failed to win any of their next three games across all competitions. Diego Simeone’s men will be out to earn the bragging rights and build confidence ahead of their trip to Moscow for their Champions League clash with Lokomotiv on Tuesday.

Los Blancos shared the spoils with Real Valladolid and Villarreal, before being humiliated by PSG in the Champions League. However, they earned back-to-back wins against Sevilla and Osasuna to get things moving in the right direction. They don’t have a very bad record on their travels here and they will be hoping keep it that way here.

Betting preview

Goals are usually in short supply in Atletico Madrid’s fixtures. Under 2.5 Goals has paid out in five of their six Liga games this season, as well as three of their last four domestic meetings with Real. Odds of 1.85 for this to happen are looking pretty good and you can back that to happen.

Real were impressive against Sevilla but given the standard of the opposition, we don’t think they have enough to win against Atletico Madrid on their own turf and therefore backing a Double Chance Home Win looks good at odds of 1.40.

Both sides have seen Both Teams to Score No land in three of their last five outings and we think there is a good chance for this to happen again. You can back Both Teams to Score No at odds of 2.05 this way.

Team news

Alvaro Morata will miss the weekend’s action after picking up two yellow cards against Real Mallorca. In that case, Joao Felix might have to partner Diego Costa up front for the home side. Thomas Lemar is expected to be given a start on the left-hand side of midfield, with Koke on the opposite flank.

Zinedine Zidane took a risk against Osasuna on Wednesday by leaving out Karim Benzema, Eden Hazard, Gareth Bale and Thibaut Courtois on the bench. They will all be expected back for the weekend clash. Ferland Mendy and Marcelo are both sidelined due to injury for the visitors, which will see Nacho feature at left-back.

Possible line ups

Atletico Madrid: Oblak, Trippier, Savic, Gimenez, Lodi, Koke, Niguez, Partey, Lemar, Costa, Felix.

Real Madrid: Courtois, Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Nacho, Casemiro, Modric, Hazard, Rodriguez, Bale, Benzema.