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Atletico Madrid are considered one of the best clubs in the world. They have always competed well in La Liga and provided stiff competition for Real Madrid and Barcelona for the title. They have also proved their worth in Europe. But the story has been a bit different this time as they face their arch-rivals, Real Madrid, in La Liga on Saturday.
Atletico's dip in form this season
Diego Simeone has been in hot water due to his team's poor performances this season. His team got off to a poor start in La Liga and are fighting for a top-four spot. They are 18 points off league leaders Barcelona.
The Argentine coach also witnessed his team getting humiliated in the UEFA Champions League group stage this season. They managed just one win in a group featuring Club Brugge, Porto, and Bayer Leverkusen.
Despite a tight budget, Simeone has helped Atletico punch above their weight and compete with the world's biggest clubs. He signed big players like Joao Felix and Thomas Lemar but failed to utilize them properly. Felix has since left the club on loan to Chelsea.
Although Rojiblancos are currently on a good run, it's clear that they lack creativity in the final third. An in-form Real Madrid side that humiliated Liverpool at Anfield by scoring five goals is not easy to defeat. Atletico will be playing at the iconic Santiago Bernabeu, which will only make things harder for them.
Last meeting between the 2 giants
Both sides met in the Copa del Rey last month when Real overcame their rivals by a 3-1 margin. Alvaro Morata opened the scoring for Atletico but it was canceled out thanks to a fantastic Rodrygo solo goal. Benzema and Vinicius Jr. scored in extra time to take their team to the semi-finals.
Real Madrid will want to replicate this performance on Saturday in order to close the gap with Barcelona. They cannot afford to drop points at this stage of the season.
What does Atletico need to do to defeat Real Madrid?
It's pretty obvious that Real will have most of the ball. Their midfield is in top form. The likes of Dani Ceballos, Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Camavinga, and Valverde will make life tough for Atletico Madrid's players.
Simeone's men will have to put on a strong defensive display against Benzema and Vinicius Jr. if they are to get a result from this match. They will try to hit Real on the counterattack. Rojiblancos will have to be clinical in front of goal as they won't get many opportunities. They will have to capitalize on the ones they get.
Real Madrid possess an elite-level mentality and they never seem to give up. Simeone will definitely advise his players not to lose focus even if they are in the lead. Los Blancos look like the favorites to come out on top in the upcoming derby, but anything can happen.
We will surely witness a nail-biting contest full of emotions. Madrid derbies never fail to amaze football fans around the world and this one won't be any different.
