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Everything set for season defining Madrid derby

Xinhua, November 18, 2016 Adjust font size:

Saturday afternoon sees the first Madrid derby of the campaign; a game which could go a long way to determining the season for both Real and Atletico Madrid.

Although their football has at times been far from convincing, Real will cross town to the Vicente Calderon Stadium six points ahead of their rivals, knowing a win would all but knock Atletico out of the title race after just 12 games.

Atletico meanwhile have played some entertaining football, but that has come at the cost of seeing them lose some of the defensive steel which has characterized their football in recent years.

It is also true that the fixture calendar has been kind to Real in the opening months of the season, with a series of home matches after playing in Europe, while Atletico's two defeats both came in away matches directly following Champions League matches.

Real's only two difficult rivals so far this season have been Atletico Club Bilbao and Villarreal, with both of those games at home, so this will be the first major challenge Zinedine Zidane's side have had on the road.

While Atletico will be without long term injury victim, Augusto Fernandez, Antoine Griezmann is available after suffering a foot injury on international duty and Diego Simeone will be able to field a full side.

Real Madrid meanwhile have some injury worries with Alvaro Morata and Tony Kroos both definitely out, while there are doubts over Pepe, Karim Benzema and Casemiro, who is putting the finishing touches to his recovery from a broken leg.

Sergio Ramos is fit again following his knee operation and Luka Modric should be able to start and give more balance to the Real Madrid midfield.

The last league derby in the Calderon is also the first meeting between the two sides since Real beat Atletico on penalties in last May's Champions League final and although Atletico have not lost to their neighbors in the league for three years: that is something both players and fans want to avenge.

If Atletico are able to do that and win, they will throw the title race wide open, but if Real claim the spoils, Atletico' s domestic season could be over before it has really begun. Endite