Real Madrid’s fixtures list in January 2015 is not the most enviable as it features tough games. The month kicked off with a league match away to Valencia, which they lost 2-1. In the next three games, Los Blancos will clash against Atleti twice with a home clash against Catalonian side Espanyol sandwiched in between this two-legged Spanish Cup tie.
The Spanish giants seek their first win since lifting the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup on December 20th. Since then, they’ve had very little time to enjoy the winter break and fatigue has taken its toll. A day before New Year's Eve, they participated in the Dubai Football Challenge and lost 4-2 to AC Milan. Although that friendly had no impact on their 22-game winning run, it exposed important defending problems which Valencia then exploited last week in La Liga.
Pressure to avoid a second consecutive competitive defeat (third in a row counting all meetings) is high, especially for a club whose last clash away to Atleti ended in defeat. That was in the second leg of the 2014 Supercopa de España as Diego Simeone’s men upset their city rivals 1-0 to take the trophy.
In fact, the Rojiblancos are perhaps Real Madrid’s toughest opponents lately. On the domestic front, Florentino Perez’s mega rich squad has failed to pick a single win over their poor neighbours in their last four matches and those failures proved to be costly.
Last four domestic Madrid Derbies: Head-to-head
• March 2, 2014: Atletico 2-2 Real Madrid (Ended up losing to Atleti in the race for La Liga title)
• August 19, 2014: Real Madrid 1-1 Atletico (Spanish Super Cup first leg)
• August 22, 2014: Atletico 1-0 Real Madrid (Ended up losing 2-1 on aggregate)
• September 13, 2014: Real Madrid 1-2 Atletico (Second consecutive defeat after three Matchdays in La Liga; the last result that preceded a 22-game winning run)
The last time the Madrid Derby took place at the Vicente Calderon, this happened:
Los Blancos did demolish their local foes in the final of the 2014 UEFA Champions League. Deep in injury time, a Sergio Ramos header denied the opponents from recording a 1-0 upset in Lisbon. Still, the fact remains that Real Madrid have not beaten Atleti over 90 minutes in their last five matches in all competitions.
It would take a good amount of focus and tactical intelligence for Carlo Ancelotti and his expensive team to emerge victorious at the Vicente Calderon on Wednesday night. As if the chances of winning were not in doubt already, something else could ruin Los Blancos’ bounce-back mission: the Fernando Torres factor.
The much-beloved striker has just entered a new phase in his career. Are the old days, which saw him transform into an internet troll at Chelsea and AC Milan after reaching his peak at Liverpool, gone for good?
Coach Diego Simeone is determined to turn his ex-Atleti team mate into a goalscoring machine again. Real Madrid’s backline must beware as Torres will want to mark his second home debut in absolute fashion. The duel with 2014 FIFA Ballon d’Or contender Cristiano Ronaldo will surely set the Vicente Calderon’s pitch on fire. This Copa dely Rey Last 16 match is unmissable indeed!
Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid team sheets
Atletico's Starting XI: Oblak, Gamez, Gimenez, Godín, Lucas, Gabi, Suarez, Saúl, Raúl García, Griezmann, Torres.
Real Madrid's Starting XI: Navas, Varane, Ramos, Khedira, Kroos, Benzema, James, Bale, Marcelo, Arbeloa, Isco.
Atletico's Subs: Moyá, Juanfran, Tiago, Koke, Arda, Mandzukic, Raul Jiménez.
Real Madrid's Subs: Casillas, Coentrao, Ronaldo, Carvajal, Nacho, Jesé, Illarra.
Match details, result and original broadcast info
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