Real Madrid vs Atletico live on December 12, 2021: Simeone's side visit Los Blancos in must-win Madrid Derby

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Desember 12, 2021 Oleh Ali M.

Topik: TV Schedules, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, La Liga

The defending champions must win this game if they wish to remain in the title run. Unfortunately, they will be visiting an in-form Los Blancos side.

Preview

The Madrid Derby is upon us! Two of Spain's biggest teams are set to lock horns this weekend, with Real Madrid preparing to host bitter rivals Atletico Madrid in their highly-anticipated 3 p.m. ET showdown in a game that could bare great consequences for this season's La Liga race.

Ancelotti's side head into this tie on the back of excellent form, having won their last nine matches across all competitions in a row. In La Liga alone, the Spanish league leaders boast an impressive six-game winning streak while going a lovely eight matches unbeaten.

As a result, it comes as little surprise to see Los Blancos top the table. Benzema and Co. are five points ahead of their nearest rivals Sevilla and boast an astonishing 10 point lead over Simeone's men. This means victory over their city rivals could see Real Madrid go 13 points clear of the defending Spanish champions.

Given the form of Benzema and Vinicius, it would be a safe bet to put money on Los Merengues winning. The Frenchman boasts a whopping 12 goals from 15 outings in La Liga this term, racking up an additional seven assists along the way. Overall, the recent UEFA Nations League winner has 17 goals under his belt while contributing to 25 goals in 20 appearances across all competitions.

Vinicius, meanwhile, is enjoying a breakout campaign, scoring 10 times so far in the Spanish Primera Division and 12 times this season across all competitions. In fact, the Brazilian has netted in two of Real Madrid's last three fixtures, which were crucial showdowns against Sevilla, Athletic Club, and Real Sociedad. The strike against La Real was particularly key as Ancelotti was without his talisman Benzema for most of that tie as the Frenchman went off injured early on in the fixture.

Atletico, on the other hand, head into this tie knowing victory is a must if they wish to remain in the title challenge. Defeat would see them fall 13 points behind, which would be a near insurmountable deficit for the reigning champions.

Simeone's men enter this clash with some confidence, having recently secured their ticket to the UEFA Champions League round of 16 despite entering the midweek round in last spot. A 3-1 triumph over Porto was the result that earned them progression, with Griezmann, Correa, and De Paul all finding the back of the net.

However, Los Rojiblancos suffered a defeat in their last La Liga outing, going 2-1 down at home to Mallorca. As a result, Atletico boast only eight wins from their first 15 outings, dropping points on seven separate occasions (five draws and two defeats). This means Sunday's showdown is a must-win fixture for the visitors.

Team news

Real Madrid: Benzema picked up a hamstring issue in the victory over Real Sociedad and thus sat out the midweek clash with Inter. The Frenchman has been included in Sunday's squad, but whether he will start or sit on the bench remains uncertain. Besides that, Ancelotti has a nearly-full squad to choose from, with Dani Ceballos being the only sidelined player.

Atletico: Luis Suarez suffered an injury in the victory over Porto and will thus miss this tie. The Uruguayan joins Trippier and Savic on the sidelines, meaning Simeone will be without a few key players in this tie. On a positive note, Joe Gimenez is fit and should return to the lineup.

Key stats

Atletico are winless in their last seven meetings with Real Madrid across all competitions (D4, L3).
Los Blancos are unbeaten at home in their last five Madrid derbies (W2, D3).
The last time Simeone's men triumphed over their bitter rivals in the Spanish top-flight was back in the 2015/16 season.