Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid preview, H2H, team news, line-ups and prediction

Real Madrid will aim for their 117th win in the 238th Madrid derby when their city rivals Atletico Madrid visit Santiago Bernabéu in what would be a thrilling table-deciding clash on Saturday night.

It’ll arguably be the toughest and the most anticipated clash in the league as both teams will compete to stand a chance of leading the LaLiga table.

For Madrid, victory over their neighbours will further solidify their stay at the top of the table, where they currently lead with 49 points.

At the time of writing, no other team in the Spanish division has won more games than the Los Blancos, who have recorded 15 wins in 22 games, so fans with Real Madrid tickets will be expecting another win this weekend.

It can be argued that Madrid have yet to find their best form this season. However, Carlo Ancelotti’s men sit at the top of La Liga, have progressed to the Copa del Rey semi-finals, and are gearing up for a Champions League playoff clash with Manchester City.

Their place in the final four of the cup was confirmed on Wednesday night after a dramatic 3-2 win over Leganes. Gonzalo Garcia’s first goal for the club sealed a late victory for Ancelotti’s squad, who now turn their focus to next week’s Champions League playoff first-leg encounter at the Etihad Stadium against Man City.

Maintaining their concentration in La Liga remains crucial for Los Blancos, particularly after last weekend’s shocking 1-0 defeat to struggling Espanyol. That result has left them only a single point ahead of Atletico, who sit second in the standings.

With just four points separating third-placed Barcelona from league leaders Madrid, the title race is shaping up to be a thrilling contest. Madrid have already endured a heavy home defeat to a direct competitor this season, conceding four goals against Barcelona in October.

The last two league encounters between Madrid and Atletico have both ended in 1-1 draws—first at Wanda Metropolitano in September and previously at Bernabeu last season.

Atletico’s pursuit of a 12th LaLiga title is gaining momentum, but with Barcelona and league leaders Madrid also in contention, this season’s battle could go down to the wire.

As of matchweek 22, the Rojiblancos occupy second place in the standings, trailing Madrid by just a single point.

True to Diego Simeone’s style, their defensive resilience has been a defining trait this campaign. They recognize that maintaining a solid backline will be crucial in sustaining their title challenge as long as they keep securing victories.

No team has suffered fewer defeats than the 11-time LaLiga champions this term, with their only two league losses coming against Leganés and Real Betis.

An impressive 15-match winning streak across all competitions, including eight LaLiga triumphs, has played a significant role in keeping their championship hopes alive.

Not many saw Atletico as serious La Liga title challengers this season, but they have enjoyed an impressive campaign so far, reaching the Champions League knockout stage and the Copa del Rey semi-finals.

Simeone’s men secured their place in the last four of the cup with a dominant 5-0 victory over Getafe on Tuesday, while a 2-0 win against Mallorca last weekend took them to 48 points in La Liga. Their record stands at 14 wins, six draws, and two defeats from 22 matches.

Atletico have collected 18 points away from home this season but now face a Madrid side that has won nine of their 10 league fixtures at the Bernabeu in the 2024-25 campaign.

The Rojiblancos have lifted the La Liga trophy 11 times, with their most recent triumph in 2020-21, and avoiding defeat in clashes like these is crucial for their title aspirations.

Atletico are unbeaten in their last four league encounters with Madrid and have lost just once in the previous six, though they have not claimed a La Liga victory at the Bernabeu since February 2016.

Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid match details 

• Date: Saturday, 8th February, 2025
• Location: Madrid, Spain
• Venue: Santiago Bernabéu
• Kick-off time: 08:00 PM GMT
• Referee: César Soto Grado
• VAR: Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea

Match stats and head-to-head 

• Madrid have already dropped points in seven league games this season, recording four draws and three defeats.

• Atletico have proven to be La Liga’s most effective late-game side, boasting a league-best +15 goal difference from the 60th minute onwards—scoring 17 and conceding just two. Their three stoppage-time winners in the Champions League this term set a new record for the most by any team in a single campaign.

• Ancelotti’s men have struggled against tough opposition, losing six of their last seven encounters with high-quality teams. Their defeats include two against Barcelona, along with losses to Lille, Milan, Liverpool, and Athletic Club. A 1-1 draw with Atletico remains their only point against sides in La Liga’s top five and the Champions League’s top seven.

• Simeone’s side rank 11th in La Liga for high turnovers with 155 but have been the league’s most resilient defensively, conceding just 14 goals in 22 matches—the fewest in Spain.

• Atletico’s two defeats are also the lowest in La Liga, with Madrid and Athletic Club trailing closely with three each.

• Los Blancos lead the league in wins with 15, while Atletico follow with 14 victories. Madrid have netted 50 times in 22 matches—only behind Barcelona’s 60-goal tally.

• Ancelotti’s side enter this fixture on a five-match winning streak across all competitions.

Team news

Madrid are optimistic about the fitness of some of their players ahead of the 238th Madrid derby, with the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, Lucas Vazquez, and Eduardo Camavinga expected to be available.

Mbappe, Bellingham, and Vazquez sat out the clash with Leganes due to minor concerns, while Camavinga was still recovering from a hamstring issue. However, Ancelotti has indicated that all four should be ready for the weekend.

Antonio Rudiger remains sidelined for at least two weeks with a thigh injury, while Eder Militao and Dani Carvajal continue their long-term recoveries from serious knee injuries.

David Alaba is back in contention following over a year out with a knee problem, but Aurelien Tchouameni and Raul Asencio are likely to form the central defensive pairing for the derby.

Atletico will be without Robin Le Normand due to suspension, but the squad is otherwise in excellent condition, with Pablo Barrios returning to full training after a recent setback.

Alexander Sorloth, who has netted 11 times this season, is likely to start on the bench, with Antoine Griezmann and Julian Alvarez—boasting 15 and 16 goals, respectively, in the 2024-25 campaign—leading the attack.

Several changes are expected from the Copa del Rey lineup, with Jan Oblak reclaiming his spot in goal, while Clement Lenglet, Marcos Llorente, and Conor Gallagher should be introduced into the starting XI at the Bernabeu.

Predicted starting lineup

Real Madrid predicted starting lineup:

Courtois; Vazquez, Tchouameni, Asencio, Mendy; Valverde, Camavinga; Rodrygo, Bellingham, Vinicius; Mbappe

Atletico Madrid predicted starting lineup:

Oblak; Llorente, Gimenez, Lenglet, Galan; Simeone, De Paul, Barrios, Gallagher; Alvarez, Griezmann.

Prediction

Although they currently sit at the top of the table, Madrid haven’t particularly looked vintage this season.

In what has come to be the mantra of the club, winning has been prioritised over luxury football style, and rightly so.

However, Atletico seem to have a similar ideology and are very much uninterested in being the most flamboyant, free-flowing side on the pitch but rather allowing their opponents to become anything or play any style they want with the exception of penetrating their defence.

Los Blancos have found it tough to find the back of the net against Atletico in the last couple of seasons, with less than three goals scored in nine of the last eleven games.

Simeone’s men will aim to maintain their defensive solidity while adding more sharpness on the counter—just as they displayed in their dramatic, last-gasp win over Barcelona before Christmas.

Atletico have proven difficult to break down, making them a strong contender to take something from their visit to the Bernabeu.

We’re predicting a 2-2 draw.