It’s the eighth round of La Liga, and it’s already time for the first Madrid derby. Tonight at 10.00 PM EAT, Atlético and Real Madrid face off at the Metropolitano. The strange undertone to the clash lies in the fact that whoever wins, Barcelona will stay top of the league (regardless of their fiasco against Osasuna last night).No one expected Real to struggle with a nearly untouched team that won the championship and the Champions League last year — plus Kylian Mbappé. On the other hand, Atlético, after an active transfer window, was expected to start with a bang, but that hasn’t been the case. Still, Julián Álvarez’s goal in the 89th minute at Balaídos leveled the playing field for the Madrid rivals — Real sit with 17 points, Atlético with 15, and tonight’s winner will take second place.Unfortunately, for football fans (except for Atlético’s red-and-white faithful), Mbappé will miss his first Madrileño. Atlético will be facing last season’s team, which lost only one match all season, and it was right at the Metropolitano on September 24, 2023, with a score of 3-1. Since then, Real have been unbeaten in 39 consecutive rounds. Carlo Ancelotti remarked back then that they had learned something new and that the loss woke them up. He repeats the same sentiment now.”Every match has its own story. We have a plan. We’ll see if it works,” Carletto announced at the pre-match press conference.Longest LaLiga unbeaten runs: 🥇 Barcelona (43 games, 2017-18) 🥈 Real Madrid (39 games, 2023-current)🥉 Real Sociedad (38 games, 1979-1980)Real visit Atletico Madrid tonight 👀 pic.twitter.com/cFWHu8JKik— LiveScore (@livescore) September 29, 2024 It’s hard to say who has the upper hand. In terms of motivation, Atlético’s captain Koke simply explained it with the phrase “games like this play themselves,” especially since Los Colchoneros have become a worthy rival for their neighbors, more so now than ever. This summer, Atlético spent 185 million euros — the only clubs that spent more were Chelsea, Brighton, and Manchester United, while other La Liga clubs lagged far behind. Year after year, fans and the media believe less in the “people’s club,” satisfied with just finishing fourth to qualify for the Champions League. Even Simeone admitted, “Since I arrived, much has changed. We must accept that the club has grown.”Still, the value of Real’s squad remains much higher — 2.5 times more, to be exact: 529 million euros versus 1.3 billion. This year’s Real appeared poised to devour La Liga in two bites, much like PSG or Bayern. Mbappé has been heating up, with five goals in seven games, and his teammates are starting to adjust to his presence on the pitch. But the absence of one player remains noticeable — Toni Kroos.”They lost a player like Kroos, and they’re still searching for someone to give them the calm needed to exploit their full attacking potential.” Simeone pointed out when asked about his game plan. It’s clear which weak spot Atlético aim to target.##EDITORS_CHOICE##Without Mbappé, the star is Vinícius. Ancelotti believes he will win this year’s Ballon d’Or, although he often has to lead him off the pitch by hand. Vini will be playing tonight in an especially hostile environment, and even media close to the club, like Planeta Real Madrid, believe that his ability to stay calm could decide the match. But Atlético’s ultra-fans are once again preparing malicious, non-football-related traps. Last year, a doll of the Brazilian was hung from a bridge in the city center with the sign “Madrid hates Real.” This time, two men in red-and-white jerseys posted on YouTube, holding photos of monkeys and calling fans to wear masks to avoid police identification during the abuse.The atmosphere will undoubtedly be heated, but the key players have tried to calm things down. Koke called for respect, while Ancelotti avoided answering provocative questions. These days, from Athletic Bilbao fans throwing flares into opposing crowds in Rome to Espanyol hooligans hitting referees with objects, La Liga has taken steps to punish instigators of further scandal as soon as possible. Nobody wants an escalation. Recently, the culprit of racist insults against Vinícius at Mallorca’s Estadio Son Moix was sentenced to a year in prison.On the pitch, Vinícius Júnior is the biggest threat to Oblak’s goal, and if his nerves don’t fail him, he will be extra motivated to dance around Los Colchoneros. On the red-and-white side, the main threat remains Griezmann, who is already in top form. With two goals and four assists (including a brilliant pass to Álvarez against Celta), the Frenchman boasts impressive stats against Real — 9 goals and 3 assists.Inspired Osasuna end Flick’s winning La Liga streak!But Los Colchoneros already know what to expect from Grizi. Now, they’re interested in what they can expect from others. Of the new players, only Gallagher has absolutely exceeded expectations. Álvarez is still adapting, but his recent goal hints that players of his caliber are made for breaking open tough matches. A goal against Real could kick off the Spider”era at the Metropolitano, as has been the plan from the start. However, Julián’s stats are still weaker than those he had at City.Ancelotti’s lineup without Mbappé starts with the question of who will replace him. Will it be Endrick, as a striker-for-striker swap, or perhaps Modrić, or even Güler? “It’s a shame he’s not here, but we have a good substitute,” said a calm Carletto, adding that he doesn’t stick to a fixed system: “4-3-3 can turn into 4-4-2 with the same players.” Bellingham could play an even more crucial role, as he has already adapted to his new (or old) position, slightly deeper compared to last season, and is gradually embracing the role of Real’s playmaker.Simeone will be missing Pablo Barrios and César Azpilicueta, along with the long-injured Lemar, while Real will be without Alaba, Brahim, and Ceballos, in addition to Mbappé. Kamavinga will return but will likely start from the bench.🚨BREAKING: La Liga will file a case and request the immediate ARREST of the instigators of the hate campaign by Atlético fans to racially insult Vini Jr. and Real Madrid players at the derby. pic.twitter.com/OKPvwlUvb3— Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) September 28, 2024 Besides the endless debate about Vinícius, an anecdote this week was the cancellation of a halftime performance by Mexican singer Danna Paola. A few days earlier, she mentioned on Spanish TV that she’s a Real fan, and suddenly a “technical impossibility” arose for her to perform at the Metropolitano.A more serious issue has been the short break between La Liga rounds. This time, Real are at an advantage with two full days of rest. Los Blancos played on Tuesday at home, while Atlético only returned from Vigo late Thursday night. Player fatigue is becoming an increasing problem, with many voicing concerns, and there’s even talk of a potential strike. Players are overworked and under immense pressure, and in such a situation, even a few extra days of rest can make a huge difference.”It’s all in the mind,” Simeone keeps repeating, “motivation is everything in life.”LA LIGA – MATCHDAY 8FridayValladolid – Mallorca 1-2 (0-0)/Sanchez 90+4 – Larin 59, Fernandez 83/SaturdayGetafe – Alaves 2-0 (0-0)/Arambarri 42, Milla 58 pen/Rayo Vallecano – Leganes 1-1 (0-0)/Camelo 8 – Cruz 55/Sociedad – Valencia 3-0 (1-0)/Kubo 8, Oskarsson 80, 90+2/Osasuna – Barcelona 4-2 (2-0)/Budimir 18, 72 pen, Zaragoza 28, Bretones 85 – Victor 58, Yamal 89/Sunday15:00: (2.15) Celta (3.45) Girona (3.35)17:15: (1.75) Ath.Bilbao (3.50) Sevilla (5.00)19:30: (1.75) Betis (3.60) Espanyol (5.60)22:00: (2.85) Atl.Madrid (3.50) Real Madrid (2.55)Monday22:00: (1.52) Villareal (4.20) Las Palmas (6.25)***odds are subject to change***
