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Atletico returns to Champions League action during the week against Lokomotiv Moscow on the road, while Real Madrid plays Club Brugge at the Bernabeu.
The first Madrid derby of the season ends all square as neither side was able to break the deadlock at the Wanda Metropolitano. Atletico Madrid had the better of the opportunities in the first half as Joao Felix put two attempts wide, whille Los Blancos were denied by Jan Oblak, who made two good saves to first deny Toni Kroos and then a better stop to prevent a Karim Benzema header. A draw was a fair result as both the teams did not produce enough quality in the final third. Both managers should be satisfied.
AND IT'S FULL-TIME!!! ATLETICO MADRID 0 - 0 REAL MADRID.
90+3' YELLOW CARD!!! Thomas Partey trips Luka Modric with a late tackle! Jose Luis Gonzalez immediately books Thomas. And that might be the last play of the day.
90+2' Silly foul by Ramos! Madrid is knocking the ball around patiently across the pitch. Los Blancos might be happy with a point here. The Madrid derby looks set to end goalless.
90' Saul wins a corner for the home side, but Costa can only nod Koke's cross tamely into the hands of Courtois under pressure from Varane. Three minutes to be added on!
88' SUBSTITUTION! Final one of the match from both sides! Karim Benzema is being replaced by Luka Jovic. Atletico has produced six shots today, while Real has managed 13.
87' Kroos tries to release Benzema over the top with a long ball, but it has too much pace on it and Oblak gathers it ahead of the Frenchman. Nacho makes an interception and charges forward to within 25 yards of goal. He lines up an ambitious strike, but the final shot sails comfortably over the bar.
84' Kroos swings the ball into the middle, but Ramos is penalised for a foul on Gimenez. Atletico Madrid has slowed down the tempo of the game by executing a combination of one or two touch passes.
83' Koke gets in a good position inside the box and is only inches away from getting on the end of Saul's through ball from the edge of the area. Benzema makes a probing run down the right flank and he wins a corner off the legs of Gimenez.
80' Saul did his best to latch on to a long pass from Trippier, but it was too long and it goes out of play. At the other end, Dani Carvajal plays in a decent cross, but it doesn't find any of Real's attackers.
77' SUBSTITUTION!! James Rodriguez comes in for Eden Hazard. Luka Modric brings down Thomas Lemar. The referee has a clear sight of it and blows his whistle for a foul.
75' WONDERFUL SAVE!!! Jan Oblak comes up with a beauty! Save of the game! The Atletico keeper goes full stretch to deny Benzema as the Frenchman's powerful header almost finds the net. Nacho with the cross. However, Oblak gets down to his left to palm it away from goal.
72' CHANCE! Saul comes within inches of breaking the deadlock. Koke swings a corner to the near post and the midfielder rises to glance it onwards. It travels towards goal and Courtois is rooted to the spot, watching its progress. However, the ball drifts just wide of the right-hand post.
70' SUBSTITUTION! Joao Felix fails to complete 90 minutes one more time this season. He is replaced by Marcos Llorente. YELLOW CARD!!! Varane is cautioned by the referee for a foul that he committed a little earlier.
67' SUBSTITUTION! Real Madrid's first and manager Zinedine Zidane has brought in veteran midfielder Luka Modric for Fede Valverde. We're still no closer to someone breaking the deadlock. The quality of the play in the final third has not improved.
64' FREE-KICK AND CLOSE! Thomas is penalised for a foul. Real Madrid earns a free kick at a dangerous position. Casemiro takes it from 28 metres out and his shot goes just over the crossbar.
61' SUBSTITUTION! Atletico's second of the night. Renan Lodi will be replaced by Thomas Lemar. It's not going Bale's way at the moment. He sees a cross repelled by Partey and then fouls Felix as he attempts to regain possession.
58' ONE MORE OPPORTUNITY!! Bale messes it up once again. Zidane is furious on the sidelines. He had only the goalkeeper to beat. Nacho surged down the left wing before sending a low cross into the middle. It evaded everyone before travelling to Bale. He strikes first time on his left foot, only to hammer his effort over the bar. Should have scored!
56' CLOSE CHANCE! Lodi loses the ball to Valverde down the left flank and it allows Madrid to come forward. Benzema collects it and picks out Bale 30 yards from goal. There are not enough options available for the Welshman so he takes he strike himself and hammers it over the bar.
53' Kieran Trippier delivers a promising cross into the box, but it's cleared. Handball by Eden Hazard on the counter. Moments later, Federico Valverde tries to slide the ball through to a teammate in the middle but it's well blocked by Savic.
50' JUST OVER!!! Diego Costa sends a cross into the middle and Angel Correa times his run to perfection, but the Argentine just has to stretch a bit too much for his header and he nods his attempt just over the bar.
48' Atletico Madrid has started the second half just like the first, playing with attacking intent right from the word go. Varane trips Felix on the turn and hands a free-kick to Atletico in a decent position.
46' SUBSTITUTION!!! First of the game! Diego Simeone makes a change for the Atleti. Angel Correa is coming on in place of Vitolo at the start of the second period. Gareth Bale is trapped offside.
SECOND HALF
The final 45 minutes are underway!
It's all square at the break in the Madrid derby at the Wanda Metropolitano. Atletico Madrid has had the best of the opportunities in the contest, both of which have fallen to Joao Felix. The 19-year-old put an early effort wide of the post after being released by Diego Costa, while he then blasted another strike wide after being teed up by Thomas Partey. Real Madrid has been restricted to efforts from distance, although Toni Kroos almost found the bottom corner with a shot, only to be denied by a sharp save from Jan Oblak. It's a tight affair as many of these contests have been over the years and it may take something special to break the deadlock.
AND IT'S HALF-TIME!!!! ATLETICO MADRID 0 - 0 REAL MADRID.
45+1' Trippier with one last low cross into the box but the Real centre-backs clear it away pretty easily.
45' One minute to be added on! Vitolo gives away a foul and a free-kick to Real Madrid for a fierce tackle on Nacho.
44' ANOTHER GOOD SAVE!! This time at the other end! Partey sends Trippier into acres of space down the right and the right-back waits for his teammates to arrive in the middle. He fires a low ball across, but Courtois reads the danger to palm it away from the feet of Felix at the back post.
42' The game remains in the balance with three minutes to go for the break. One moment of quality may be needed to open up the contest or even decide it.
40' GOOD SAVE!!! A long pass from Varane finds Kroos, and he decides to test the keeper from long range. The shot flies low towards the left of Jan Oblak, who reacts well to make a very good save. Real Madrid has a corner.
38' Gimenez is continuing to dominate Bale in this game, dispossessing the forward as he tries to turn in the on the right flank.
37' Kroos picks up a sweet pass from Hazard and fires one in from distance towards the bottom right corner, but Jan Oblak is alert and makes a decent save.
35' HANDBALL! Vitolo is getting through the action in the final third. This time he finds space on the left flank, but slips as he tries to take possession and handles the ball inadvertently.
32' Joao Felix wins his side a corner! Trippier crosses the ball into the box but Ramos gets it away. The ball, however, falls to Thomas, who mistimes a pass well past Koke.
29' GOOD CHANCE! Trippier releases Partey on the right with a precise pass. The midfielder hammers a low ball across the face of goal and Courtois is not able to gather it. However, it just evades the outstretched boot of Costa at the back post.
26' Toni Kroos decides to take a short corner. He passes the ball to Nacho, who sends it back to Kroos, whose cross is finally cleared by Jose Gimenez amidst a horde of players from both sides.
25' A long ball from Toni Kroos is directed to the well-positioned Karim Benzema by Bale but the Atletico defence gets it clear. Benzema gets the ball back and wins his team a corner.
22' YELLOW CARD! First of the match! Nacho catches Trippier on the boot and goes into the book for his loose challenge.
21' Raphael Varane trips an opponent with a slide tackle. The referee lets him go with just a warning. Atleti take the free kick from near the side line. Poor one from Trippier.
18' JUST WIDE! Nacho puts in a cross into the box. Gareth Bale is on the receiving end at the back post. He jumps alongside Renan Lodi to head the ball, but his header goes just over the bar. The Welshman appeals for a corner, but the referee turns him down, although replays show that Bale was right.
15' Trippier and Vitolo have done well so far on the right side for Atletico Madrid with brilliant runs and precise one-twos. Thomas Partey has also been feeding them well from midfield.
13' Gareth Bale sends a poor pass into the box and his attempt is thwarted and cleared by Stefan Savic. At the other end, Kieran Trippier is adjudged offside.
10' Kieran Trippier fouls Hazard on the counter! The referee doesn't book him for the offence. That's one each for both sides as Ramos and Trippier both manage to escape a yellow card. However, the Real Madrid players are absolutely furious here.
8' VERY CLOSE CHANCE!!!! Costa finds Felix behind the Madrid defence on the right wing. The 19-year-old cuts in and takes on a low strike across goal first time, but he can only place his effort wide of the post.
5' Sergio Ramos commits a cynical foul on Joao Felix, blocking off the Portuguese. The referee Jose Luis Gonzalez awards a free-kick, but the Real skipper avoids a booking.
4' OFFSIDE! Diego Coasta was too eager there to get on the scoresheet. But the linesman lifts his flag at the right time.
2' Tremendous early pressure from Atletico Madrid here! FREE-KICK! Kieran Trippier tries to send in a cross but the Real Madrid defence gets it away. Real Madrid superstar Eden Hazard with the final header that sees the ball go out of bounds.
FIRST HALF
The match is underway!
- And the players are out! Atletico has made two changes to his side that beat Real Mallorca during the week. Gimenez and Trippier come into the back to replace Arias and Felipe. Felix and Costa continue to lead the line in front of an unchanged midfield. Zidane and Simeone shake hands before the war. Real recalls starting forwards back into the fold, leading the line with Benzema, Bale and Hazard for the derby match. All three players were rested against Osasuna, but have been brought back into the team tonight.
- It's the first Madrid derby of the season and it presents a huge opportunity to make a statement for Atletico. Diego Simeone's side had made a strong start to the campaign, but it has pegged back in recent weeks, suffering a defeat at the hands of Real Sociedad and it was held last time out by Celta Vigo. Los Rojiblancos need to get back to winning ways to regain their momentum and taking down their arch rivals, who have crept ahead of them in the table would be a massive boost.
- Real Madrid has rounded into form in La Liga over the last few weeks, beginning with their narrow 3-2 triumph over Levante. That performance had flaws despite the victory, and Zinedine Zidane appears to have got a response from his team particularly at the back. It has also kept back-to-back clean sheets in its victories over Sevilla and Osasuna. However, it faces a test this evening in a hostile atmosphere.
TEAM NEWS!
ATLETICO MADRID: Jan Oblak (gk), Jose Gimenez, S Savic, Kieran Trippier, Renan Lodi, Vitolo, Thomas, Saul, Koke, Diego Costa, Joao Felix.
SUBS: A Adan (gk), S Arias, A Correa, Hector Herrera, Thomas Lemar, M Llorente, Felipe.
COACH: Diego Simeone
REAL MADRID: Thibaut Courtois (gk), Dani Carvajal, Sergio Ramos, Raphael Varane, Nacho, Casemiro, Toni Kroos, F Valverde, Eden Hazard, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema.
SUBS: A Areola, Luka Jovic, Lucas, E Militao, Luka Modric, Vinicius Junior, James Rodriguez.
COACH: Zinedine Zidane
PREVIEW: Atletico hosts Real in the Madrid derby with first-place in sight
Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid have each averted a mini-crisis already this season and one of the rewards for the winner of the derby on Saturday would be to stall their rival's recovery.
At the Wanda Metropolitano this weekend, it will be La Liga's first against third, even if the ascendancy of Madrid's two premier clubs perhaps says as much about the chaos of the opening few weeks in Spain as it does about the strength of their revivals.
Real Madrid is top and while Zinedine Zidane discounts the fact, its turnaround has been impressive. It began against Sevilla, which could have gone top itself, and at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, where Madrid had previously won just once in seven years.
When results dipped and performances failed to improve, the sense was it had been coming. Beating Sevilla and then promoted Osasuna on Wednesday has turned the tide, not least because there was a resilience and purpose so previously lacking.
On the other hand, Atleti needed its win away at Mallorca on Wednesday, even if Alvaro Morata's mindless sending off, eight minutes after coming on as a substitute, means the Spaniard will be suspended for the derby this weekend.
Morata's absence makes it all the more likely Diego Costa will keep his place up front alongside Joao Felix, particularly after it was their goals that sealed the Mallorca win.
Meanwhile, Barcelona's stuttering start has arguably been the most worrying of all but it too enjoyed a rejuvenating win over Villarreal in midweek, ahead of its visit to Getafe on Saturday.
Scepticism around coach Ernesto Valverde is never far from the surface at Camp Nou and it remains to be seen whether Barca can now leave behind their own sticky patch, and without Lionel Messi, who is nursing a thigh injury.
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