Match preview: Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid

Despite much of the odds in favor of Real, Ancelotti’s men would be desperate to win this game particularly because of the head-to-head rule of the La Liga. With a 3 point gap currently between the 2 teams, in case of tie of points at the end, it would be Atletico who go ahead of Real on Head-to-Head wins because they won the earlier encounter at the Bernabeu. And now, here again lies a chance for Simeone’s team to do a double over their fierce rivals for the first time in 50 years.

Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid predicted XI

Atletico’s recent poor form could be put down to exhaustion, as Simeone’s usual starting XI has played 31 games this season on an average. With Simeone now requiring a win to keep up the title challenge, it is down to him how he will shape his team to achieve this. Diego Costa goes straight into the XI with Koke, Suarez and Gabi taking their places in midfield.

Arda Turan will return on the right, and Simeone’s only call will be to either choose David Villa as Costa’s strike partner or to go for the extra man in midfield with either Diego or Raul Garcia playing behind Costa. The defence of Miranda, Godin, Felipe and Juanfran cannot be shaken.

After the Schalke game, there were 3 very clear positions and aspects of Real’s game that Atletico need to exploit from the start. The first needless to state one is to place a man on Xabi Alonso. Diego Costa can be visualized to do such a job, as he had endlessly harassed Pepe in the recent Copa Del Rey clash at the Bernabeu.

But Alonso‘s case would be quite different as now he will be having 2 lateral options of Pepe and Ramos to layoff an easy pass. This is where David Villa’s role over Diego could be very crucial. As Atletico play quite narrow and compact wingers, so neither Koke nor Turan are going to press Pepe and Ramos for Alonso’s pass. So there needs to be an option of a 2nd striker to run at such a loose/short pass from Alonso.

David Villa’s presence certainly adds to the goal scorers category, but the Spaniard along with Costa also contributes to the disciplined positioning that Simeone has preached till now. In the reverse fixture, both the strikers were seen taking up almost central midfield roles as they cutoff the passes by Pepe and Ramos into the midfield. But however Real did not have Alonso in that game, and the Spaniard’s presence will surely increase the range of passing.

The other grey area visible in the Schalke game was the freedom Real’s fullbacks were getting on the flanks. Both Marcelo and Carvajal had pushed back Schalke’s wingers Farfan and Draxler respectively, and regardless of the fact that the German team matched numbers in these zones, Real were still getting the space to put in crosses on the overlap.

Atletico on the other hand are seen to be much narrower off the ball and will be more inclined to closing down the gaps in the centre of the pitch. And quite obviously this would again allow Real’s fullbacks time and space. It would hence not be surprising if Ancelotti chooses to go for the more attack minded Carvajal rather than the experienced Arbeloa.

While Koke and Costa have received quite a few accolades for their performances this season, Gabi has been equally disciplined in his midfield tackling. One of Simeone’s traits in midfield is seen when Gabi and Suarez/Tiago close down the spaces in between the midfield and defence lines quickly. This is again going to be very critical in this game, as Ronaldo and Bale look to shoot from such areas.

Though this game is being tinted for Atletico’s discipline and Real’s scintillating attack, it is still a game where Atletico need to get 3 points and Real need a victory get even on head-to-head clashes. In a tactical sense the game comes down to the choice Simeone makes between Villa and Garcia/Diego, as that certainly would affect how much Atletico can contain Alonso, and hence the game.