MD20: Atletico Madrid 0-2 Real Madrid

[Pat Murphy]

La Liga Preview: Atlético Madrid - Real Madrid

What: La Liga, Matchday 20
Who: Atlético Madrid (3rd, 37pts) vs Real Madrid (1st, 47pts)
When: Sunday, 20th January 2008, 1900 CET
Where: Estadio Vicente Calderón, Madrid

El Derbi Madrileño takes centre stage in La Liga this weekend as the two behemoths from the capital collide for the 142nd time in the league. The two clubs racked up a combined bill of over €200 million in the summer transfer market but all that big spending seems to be paying dividends as the results are showing on the pitch.

Atlético finished the first half of the term in their best league position in a decade, while Madrid themselves are enjoying their best start to a season in the club's rich history.

Eight Year Heartache Los

Los Colchoneros will head into Sunday's big game closest to their fierce city rivals in the standings than they have been in quite some time.

Although there's still a ten-point disparity between the sides, Atlético are only two places behind Los Blancos after last weekend's 1-0 victory over Valencia pushed them back into the top three. The hard fought win, coupled with their progress to the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey midweek, would have restored a sense of self belief in the dressing room.

It is that little extra psychological edge that has been missing in all their previous squads all these years and it’s not hard to see why they have had that knack of failing to live up to expectations come the big game.

The men from the Manzanares have yet to beat their illustrious neighbours in the new millennium, home or away. The last time they won was eight years ago back in October 1999, when they came away from the Bernabéu with a 1-3 victory.

Their head-to-head at the Calderón isn't all that impressive either. In fact, in the last 20 years, only twice have the rojiblancos won the derbi in front of their home fans. The last time that happened, incidentally, was also back in 1999. As if that’s not enough to create doubt in the players’ minds, Atléti also have a rather dreadful record this season against the big guns.

Aside from the opening day loss to their neighbours, they have also gone down to Barcelona, Espanyol and Villarreal, the three other clubs that make up the top five. But as always, the form book tends to be the first to go straight out the window in these tempestuous encounters, as emotion and passion usually preside over everything else.

Staggering Statistics

There were doubts at the start of the campaign as to whether Bernd Schuster has the pedigree to take charge at a mammoth club like Real Madrid and whether he was the right man to whip Los Blancos' dressing room into shape like Fabio Capello had the previous term.

After some wobbly performances early on, his position in the hot seat was questioned again but as the wins and the points started piling up, the critics and the sceptics have simply run out of bones to pick with the German trainer. The football may not be eye-catching at times but the statistics so far certainly are.

Top of the table with 47 points, it is the best tally by a club at the halfway stage in La Liga since the three-points for a win rule was introduced in 1995. Not only that, they also currently have the best home record with a perfect nine wins from nine games; the best away record with 20 points out of a possible 30; and the best goal difference with 41 goals scored and only 14 conceded.

Those figures are not only the best in Spain but the best amongst Europe's major leagues at the midway stage. But enough about the numbers. Schuster's boys will still have to perform on the night if they want to extend their six match winning streak in La Primera. They will have to dig deep and cast aside the disappointing midweek loss and elimination to Mallorca in the Copa de l Rey and refocus on their league conquest.

TEAM NEWS

Atlético Madrid

Thiago Motta has made a successful comeback from a niggling knee ailment and he is expected to line-up in midfield against the reigning champions on Sunday. He will slot in for the injured Jurado who suffered a relapse of a hamstring strain during Thursday's training session and will be sidelined for at least a week.

Defenders Zé Castro and Giorgios Seitaridis and goalkeeper Leo Franco are the three players who are out for the long haul due to various injuries, but ex-Bernabéu hero José Antonio Reyes has shaken off a minor ankle sprain and will be available for selection, although he is unlikely to play a huge role in the match.

Portuguese midfielder Maniche, meanwhile, has left for Serie A giants Internazionale after agreeing on a loan deal until the end of the season.

Probable Starting XI (4-4-2): Abbiati - Perea, Pablo, Eller, Pernía - Maxi (c), Motta, Raúl Garcia, Simão - Forlán, Agüero

Real Madrid

Schuster will once again have to rely on a modified defence with Christoph Metzelder and Gabriel Heinze still ruled out with injuries while Pepe has been rated as highly doubtful for the clash as he struggles to shrug off an Achilles tendon niggle.

With Sergio Ramos expected to deputize in the centre of defence, Miguel Torres and Michel Salgado will fight for the rightback slot, although the veteran could be favoured to start in order to give the side a more attacking impetus down the flank.

Back up striker Javier Saviola has joined fellow fringe players Roberto Soldado and Javier Balboa in the sick bay, although the pair has resumed light training on the pitch, as has Arjen Robben. Mahamadou Diarra, meanwhile is away on international duty with Mali in the African Cup of Nations.

Probable Starting XI (4-3-3): Casillas - Salgado/Torres, Sergio Ramos, Cannavaro, Marcelo - Sneijder, Gago, Baptista - Raúl (c), van Nistelrooy, Robinho


Goal.com

Goal.com - Spain - La Liga Preview: Atlético Madrid - Real Madrid

Big game, even for Barca as we hope Atletico will win so we can trim the gap down to 4 pts.

3rd vs 1st should be a good match.

[Pennywise]

I'm pretty sure Atletico Madrid will win this one. They've a grest squad and a great team who have performed well in this seasons La Liga. Sergio Aguero - looks like have got his really breakthrough - and at Vicente Calderon I think they'll take all the points.

Madrid have Robben, Diarra, Soldado, Heinze, Metzelder, Saviola, Balboa out while Raul and Pepe are doubtful for the match. Its in the cards that Atletico finally will beat them too... so my money is on Rojiblanco.

La Liga will also be more even after this round. Barca will win against Racing home at Camp Nou and vips its only four points up to Madrid and many matches again to play.

[Trim]

What a start! Raul scored for RMD in the very first minute.

Match just entered 12th min.

[Podolski]

very entertaining game so far. atletico probably has better stats, they've hit the crossbar twice, but it's the score line that counts. 0-2 HT, van nistelrooy.
referee has made some bad decisions, ramos should have had a red card, but he's made some unfair offside to us that could've almost certainly resulted in a goal.

robinho's heading is atrocious, as is salgado. pepe came off injured but I think he's ok, he wanted to come back on but schuster didn't want to take the risk. hopefully he's fit before the next match. our defending all round is poor, salgado and torres are not good enough for us, canna is having a good match. gago has been decent. casillas is god. we can add a few more saves to the 'why casillas is the best keeper in the word' list.

... currently 10 points ahead of barca

[Podolski]

FT 0-2

not much challenge second half
credit to atletico, they did a good job of trying to injure our whole backline

[Pennywise]

(A) Athletic: 1 - 0
(H) Osasuna: 2 - 0
(A) Barcelona: 1 - 0
(H) Zaragoza: 2 - 0
(A) Levante: 2 - 0
(A) Atletico: 2-0

The sixth match on row with 0 behind Casillas and Schuster is actually better in the defensive part than under Capello.


Good match and three important points.

[Pennywise]

Its also weird since Pepe got injured, Heinze and Metzelder are out with injures and Marcelo did not play.

They played Salgado-Ramos-Cannavaro-Torres against Atletico.

Its also weird to think that Madrid have faced Barca, Villarreal, Valencia and Atletico away with 12 points and 13-1 in goal difference.

[Podolski]

how's it weird? we're just better hopefully santander can pull a goal back in the next 6 minutes.

this win is a big blow for all the other title hopefuls, they were expecting us to slip this game.

we need to get the biggest point cushion we can, that way we can concentrate as much as we can afford to on the champions league.

[Pennywise]

Well, weird was just a wrong word from me. I used some irony, hehe.

With Pepe, Metzelder, Heinze, Marcelo, Robben, Diarra and Saviola out...I'm happy with the result and play.

However, Barca won tonight also, so nothing is safe yet.

[Podolski]

also is it just me or do guti's arm tattoos get more retarded each match he plays

[Oliver_Kahn]

Guti IS retarded

[Pat Murphy]

Originally Posted by Pennywise

Its also weird to think that Madrid have faced Barca, Villarreal, Valencia and Atletico away with 12 points and 13-1 in goal difference.

Also the first season since 1964 that Real Madrid have beaten Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Valencia away in the same season.

I also agree that Guti is a retard.

[Pennywise]

Looks like Madrids period of winning will end soon.

Pepe is now out for a month. Heinze and Metzelder are still injured too, and Schuster have to play Ramos-Cannavaro in the central defence (fair enough) but use Torres/Salgado and Marcelo on the backs.

At the same time, our busboy Diarra is away for weeks, and Robben/Saviola still out.

The next match will be difficult against Villarreal and I do not like that our most important players may miss the matches against AS Roma in the CL.