La Liga: This Madrid Derby is an Epic

Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid

Whenever Real and Atletico Madrid meet, the football world watches as some of the best players in the world come together in one of Europe’s biggest and best derbies.

But when the two Spanish giants clash on Saturday night at the Estadio Alfredo di Stefano, it could be a pivotal moment in the 2020/21 La Liga season. A win for Los Blancos would blow the title race wide open, but if Diego Simeone can mastermind a win for Atleti, then his team will find themselves in a very strong position indeed.

Here at SBOTOP, Zinedine Zidane’s Los Blancos are marginal favourites to win the game, but Atletico are on a phenomenal run which has taken them to the top of the La Liga table, six points clear of fourth-placed Real and with a game in hand. And with Barcelona struggling for consistency, Los Rojiblancos are already the team to beat.

 

Talking Points

Good week for ZZ

A week is a long time in football, and right now the world is looking a happier place for Real Madrid’s head coach than it did on the 1st of December when a defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk put Los Blancos in serious danger of exiting the Champions League.

That catastrophic performance followed a shock defeat to Alaves the previous weekend, and so Zidane headed into last weekend’s fixtures ominously insisting he had the support of the board.

 

But Los Blancos rode their luck to win away at Sevilla last week and followed that victory up with an all-or-nothing win over Borussia Monchengladbach to take them to the top of Group B and into the last 16 of the Champions League. Karim Benzema was on target twice in the victory over Die Fohlen and he remains the most crucial player in Real’s team.

Those two wins have put a sticking plaster on both campaigns, and now ZZ needs to see some real progress. But he’ll have to face Atleti without Eden Hazard, the Belgian playmaker remains out injured, so Luka Modric is set to start alongside Casemiro behind the front three of Marco Asensio, Vinicius Junior and Benzema.

 

Suarez back for Atletico

While Real still have to wait for Hazard’s return, Los Rojiblancos are boosted by the return to their team of striker Luis Suarez, after the Uruguayan star tested negative for COVID-19 last week, enabling him to resume training. Suarez is Atleti’s joint top league scorer, with five goals, alongside Joao Felix, and he’ll be desperate to take centre stage in the Madrid derby.

While their rivals have stumbled, Los Rojiblancos have embarked on a mightily impressive run of La Liga 2020 results, winning the last seven, and the latest La Liga 2020 betting odds pitch Simeone’s team odds-on to win the title, at odds of 1.95, while Real Madrid are at 3.50.

And Simeone’s team have joined their city neighbours in the last 16 of the Champions League after goals from Mario Hermoso and Yannick Carrasco gave them a 2-0 win away to Red Bull Salzburg, to confirm second place in Group A, behind holders FC Bayern.

Atleti’s defence have been as impressive as ever, with Kieran Trippier and Renan Lodi excelling as wing-backs, while centre back Stefan Savic is enjoying an extended run in the side as Jose Gimenez remains injured.

 

History

Los Rojiblancos last won the La Liga title in 2014, and seven years on they will be dreaming again if they can beat Real Madrid on Saturday. But Los Blancos have been dominant in the Madrid derby recently, with 37 wins and 19 draws and only 12 victories for Atleti.

The most recent meeting at the Bernabeu ended with a 1-0 victory to Real, a second-half goal from Benzema earning all three points.

Los Blancos haven’t lost at home to Atletico in the last five encounters, but they have a tough task to keep that run going against a side unbeaten in ten away from home, with three wins and draw on the road this season.

 

Betting Tip

	Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid	Atletico Madrid Asian Handicap 0.00 @ 2.20
	December 13, 04:00 (GMT+8)

At odds of 2.46, Real Madrid are slight favourites with Atleti at 2.68 and the draw is at 3.11.

Zinedine Zidane has had a good week, but his team has struggled for consistency, while Atleti’s form is rock solid. The return of Suarez will give Los Rojiblancos a boost, while Real Madrid are heavily reliant of Benzema, so I’m backing Simeone’s men to continue their unbeaten run, and maybe grab a priceless victory.

A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR () BETS ARE WORTH:
= €20 (Highly confident)	= €10 (CONFIDENT)	= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)

Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.

 

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