The second Madrid Derby of the season might not be for a championship, but it’s been one of the most important matches each campaign for the last decade or so. Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid have been two of the top clubs in both Spain and the world during this decade, with Real Madrid claiming four Champions League titles and Atletico Madrid winning three Europa League crowns. Neither club has had the domestic success you might think though, with Atletico winning one La Liga title and Real Madrid winning just two over the last decade. Both clubs are frontrunners for this year’s title, along with Barcelona, and they are both looking to bring a La Liga title to the capital.
Don't miss the Spanish La Liga action from the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid, Spain at 2:45 p.m. ET on Saturday, September 29, 2018. Catch every moment of the match live on beIN Sports.
Spanish La Liga Betting at BookMaker.eu
Atletico Madrid +251
Real Madrid +112
Draw +241
Over/Under 2.5
Odds Analysis
Real Madrid started their domestic campaign with a bang, winning three straight matches by multiple goals to vault to the top of the table after just a few weeks. Since then, the results have diminished though. Real had to leave Bilbao with just a draw, only managed to beat Espanyol 1-0, and were blown out by Sevilla 3-0 on Wednesday. They are still in second place in the table, but their recent form has left something to be desired.
Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid are largely giving us the same style of play we saw from them last year. Their defense has led the way, and they have allowed just four goals through six matches. The attack has been hit or miss though, leading to Atletico giving away points. Atletico have just eight goals through six matches, but five of those eight goals came in their last two games.
Injury Report
There are two injuries to note on the side of Atletico Madrid. Defender Santiago Arias is out a few weeks longer due to a broken rib suffered during the international break. Fellow defender Jose Gimenez is questionable for this match after leaving in the first half of Tuesday’s match against SD Huesca. Not having either would be a big blow.
Real Madrid have some key injuries to defenders to report too. The club might not have their two outside backs for this one, and that would be a big blow. Dani Carvajal picked up a knock last week and missed the Sevilla game on Wednesday. He is questionable to play here. Marcelo is questionable too after leaving the Sevilla game with a calf injury. Real Madrid are without Isco for a month after an emergency surgery for appendicitis as well.
Player to Watch
The injuries to Real Madrid’s outside backs puts the pressure on their central defenders Raphael Varane and Sergio Ramos, and there will be a lot of focus on the play of Ramos here. Ramos has long been one of the top center backs in the world, but he is on the wrong side of 30 and is relying even more on the physical nature of his game than he did in the past. Atletico might be able to punish that.
La Liga Prop Bet – Over 3 Total Goals at +148
Betting over this many goals in an Atletico Madrid game feels like sacrilege in a way. This team has been known for its defense under manager Diego Simone, but the over feels like the right play with so many injuries to key defenders. Keep an eye on the status of both team’s back lines heading into this one.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
Atletico Madrid are trending in the right direction, and it’s not a bad idea to take a chance on them on the goal line here. Real did not look sharp against Sevilla in their mid-week clash, and Atletico have a great chance to beat their city rivals.
Spanish La Liga Odds: Atletico Madrid 2, Real Madrid 2
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