Madrid Derby to Decide La Liga Leadership Between Real and Atlético
One of the biggest European football clashes this weekend will be the Madrid Derby, where Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid battle for the top spot in La Liga. League leaders Real Madrid (49 points) hold a one-point advantage over Atlético (48), with Barcelona trailing behind at 45 points.
Recent history and current circumstances may not favor Real Madrid. The defending champions have been plagued by injuries across multiple positions, which could tilt the balance in Atlético’s favor.
However, there was some positive news for coach Carlo Ancelotti ahead of the derby. French midfielder Eduardo Camavinga has recovered from the injury that sidelined him for 21 days, while fellow countryman Kylian Mbappé and English star Jude Bellingham returned to training after missing the Copa del Rey clash against Leganés.
Camavinga, who suffered a left thigh injury on January 16 against Celta Vigo, has completed his recovery and is expected to be available for the crucial showdown. Despite this boost, Real Madrid will still be without key defenders Dani Carvajal, Éder Militão, Antonio Rüdiger, and David Alaba, who has suffered a setback in his recovery.
On the other hand, Atlético Madrid could welcome back midfielder Pablo Barrios, who missed their last Copa del Rey match against Getafe due to illness.
Barrios has been a regular starter under Diego Simeone and is expected to return to the lineup against Real Madrid. However, concerns remain for Atlético, as French winger Thomas Lemar trained separately, while Rodrigo Riquelme missed training due to injury, casting doubt over their availability. Meanwhile, defender Robin Le Normand will be absent due to suspension after accumulating five yellow cards.
Here are some key stats to help you predict the right score and win with Betway:
🔹 Real Madrid has lost two of their last five Madrid derbies across all competitions (W1, D2), equaling the number of defeats they suffered in the previous 15 encounters (W6, D7, L2).
🔹 Atlético Madrid has picked up points in 8 of their last 11 league visits to Real Madrid (W3, D5, L3).
🔹 Real Madrid has failed to win any of their last four league encounters against Atlético (D3, L1), their longest such streak since February 2016 (six matches: D2, L4).
🔹 After beating Barcelona 2-1 at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in December 2024, Atlético Madrid could win away at both Barcelona and Real Madrid in the same La Liga season for only the fourth time in history—and the first since the 1987-88 campaign under César Luis Menotti.
🔹 Jude Bellingham has yet to score in five Madrid derbies across all competitions, making Atlético the team he has faced the most without finding the net for Real Madrid.
🔹 Antoine Griezmann has netted nine goals in 30 Madrid derbies across all competitions—only scoring more against Celta Vigo (11) and Sevilla (10).
🔹 Carlo Ancelotti has won just 35% of his matches as Real Madrid manager against Atlético in all competitions (W8, D7, L8 in 23 matches).
🔹 Diego Simeone has won nine and lost nine of his 25 managerial battles against Ancelotti across all competitions, with seven matches ending in a draw.
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