Football fans around the world will turn their attention to Riyadh Air Metropolitano on Sunday when Atletico Madrid host Real Madrid in a La Liga Madrid Derby.
The match is scheduled to kick off at 5:15pm, with the two teams separated by just two points after six league matches. Real Madrid sit second with 15 points, while Atletico are fourth with 13.
The derby comes with both teams carrying different expectations after making contrasting starts to the season.
Real Madrid, under head coach José Mourinho, have been picking up important results and enter the match with an impressive scoring record.
Striker Kylian Mbappe leads the way, having scored seven goals in six La Liga appearances this season.
However, Real Madrid will be without several key players due to injuries. Eder Militão, Ferland Mendy and Rodrygo are reportedly set to miss the match, while Aurelien Tchouameni is being monitored ahead of the game.
For Atletico Madrid, head coach Diego Simeone has received positive news regarding Julián Alvarez, who has returned to training after missing the previous two matches with a muscle problem.
However, Simeone has yet to confirm whether the Argentine striker will start the match or be introduced in the second half.
Atletico will also be without Pablo Barrios and Alexander Sorloth, who have been ruled out due to injuries.
ATLETICO BACK ON TRACK
After a difficult period at the beginning of September, Atletico have started showing signs of returning to their best form.
The team suffered defeats against Athletic Bilbao and Liverpool, but subsequently recorded 3-0 and 4-0 victories over Real Sociedad and Osasuna respectively in their next two La Liga matches.
That run has boosted confidence within Simeone’s squad ahead of their meeting with their traditional rivals.
Real Madrid also secured a 3-2 victory over Elche in their previous league match, although they allowed Elche to recover from a two-goal deficit before Carlos Espí scored the winning goal in the closing stages.
MOURINHO VS SIMEONE
Beyond the battle between the players on the pitch, the derby has gained additional intrigue because of the meeting between two coaches with long-standing histories in European football.
Mourinho and Simeone have previously faced each other in La Liga, with Simeone losing all three of his previous league meetings against Mourinho.
However, Simeone has said that the history of previous encounters cannot determine what will happen on Sunday.
The Atletico coach said his team will have to manage Real Madrid’s quick transitions effectively, noting that their opponents have players with pace and power in transition. He also expressed his respect for Mourinho ahead of the clash.
Mourinho, meanwhile, has acknowledged that Real Madrid still need to improve their ability to control matches, something that could prove important against Atletico on their home ground.
