This weekend, the highly anticipated first Madrid derby of the season is set to unfold, with both Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid eager to maintain their strong starts in La Liga.
However, the excitement is tempered by the absence of star forward Kylian Mbappe, who will miss the match due to a thigh injury sustained during Real's thrilling 3-2 victory over Alaves.
In that match, Mbappe scored but now leaves a significant gap in the attack.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti must decide how to fill this void: Brazilian teenager Endrick could step up, or Ancelotti may choose to push Jude Bellingham further forward, slotting Luka Modric into a deeper midfield role.
Currently, Real Madrid sits second in the table, four points adrift of leaders Barcelona.
They aim to extend their impressive unbeaten La Liga streak to 40 games.
Fittingly, Atletico are the last team to defeat them in league play, a bitter reminder of their last encounter, where they triumphed over Celta Vigo thanks to a last-minute equalizer from Julian Alvarez.
Both teams head into this intense derby with injury concerns.
Diego Simeone’s Atletico has no new injury worries, with only Pablo Barrios sidelined.
In contrast, Ancelotti’s injury list is longer, missing not just Mbappe but also Eduardo Camavinga, Brahim Diaz, Dani Ceballos and David Alaba.
Last season, the champions of Spain and Europe were a formidable force except when facing their city rivals.
Atletico handed Real their only two defeats in the league last year and also knocked them out of the Copa del Rey in January 2024. Since then, however, Real has been unstoppable, boasting an unbeaten streak of 39 games.
Despite a rocky start that saw draws against Mallorca and Las Palmas, Los Blancos have rebounded, winning five consecutive matches across all competitions.
Ancelotti expressed confidence in his squad's improvement: “We’re getting better, and it suits us because the schedule is very demanding. We want to continue this momentum into Sunday’s game, which is going to be very tough.”
As they prepare for the derby, Real Madrid trail league leaders Barcelona, who face Osasuna on Saturday, potentially widening the gap to seven points by kickoff.
Meanwhile, Atletico are two points behind Don Carlo's men after a fortunate 1-0 victory at Celta Vigo, courtesy of Alvarez's late heroics.
Alvarez, who could see a starting role, emphasized the significance of the derby: “It’s a very important game. We have to prepare well for this match, which is crucial for our season.”
Simeone values Álvarez's versatility, noting, “He can play upfront or in midfield, giving us more options.”
