Pitarch, Mbappe start in a 4-4-2 – How Real Madrid can line up against Atletico Madrid
Few fixtures in world football carry the intensity and weight of the Madrid derby, and Sunday evening promises to deliver another chapter of pure drama at the Santiago Bernabeu. With the La Liga titl...
Pitarch, Mbappe start in a 4-4-2 – How Real Madrid can line up against Atletico Madrid Few fixtures in world football carry the intensity and weight of the Madrid derby , and Sunday evening promises to deliver another chapter of pure drama at the Santiago Bernabeu. With the La Liga title race heating up, it is a defining moment in Real Madrid’s season. Currently sitting second in the table, Los Blancos are chasing Barcelona at the top, trailing by four points.
Atletico Madrid, meanwhile, are third and nine points behind their city rivals, making this clash equally crucial for Diego Simeone’s side. For Real Madrid, though, this is about pride, response, and control after that humiliating 2-5 defeat earlier in the season under Xabi Alonso. Now under Alvaro Arbeloa, the team has shown optimism, as their home form has been particularly impressive.
Winning 12 of 14 matches at the Bernabeu, Madrid have turned their stadium into a fortress and they will need every bit of that advantage against a dangerous Atletico side. Defence All eyes will be on Andriy Lunin. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images) The biggest talking point in defence heading into this derby is the absence of Thibaut Courtois.
With the Belgian ruled out for over a month, the spotlight now shifts firmly onto Andriy Lunin . The Ukrainian goalkeeper has already shown he can rise to big occasions. His performance in the Champions League win over Manchester City was decisive.