Preview: Atletico vs Real Madrid

Atletico vs Real Madrid

The first difference is clear and Mourinho had an impact on it: while Atletico was thinking in the derby for a week, if not more (a month, a year, a life) Real Madrid began to do yesterday afternoon, once assimilated the Champions League draw. And these are the psychological considerations. The physical left Atletico ahead and his rival with tired legs. This equates the match. There is no favourite. However, the history and quality are still playing for Real Madrid.

We must also remember to avoid excuses for present and future, that the templates have 22 members and Real Madrid's players are excellent. In case of injury or stress, Mourinho can play with players of such class (a couple of world champions included) as Adebayor, Lass, Granero, Canales, Arbeloa, Albiol or Garay. Their participation will depend on the training scheduled for noon today. It will be time to decide about the physical state of Cristiano who still has discomfort in the left hamstring. "Manolito" Adebayor will be his relieve, which would bring us back to double nine and better ball movement. And it does not rule out other changes, such as Lass by Khedira. Even Arbeloa by Marcelo or Sergio Ramos.

While in Atletico almost everything is quiet. The coach has all the template in good conditions and called all yesterday. The team has five games without a loss (two wins and three draws) and improved versions of Tiago and Forlan have joined recently to the best Kun Aguero.

Quique Sanchez Flores could even keep the same start-line after 57 days. If Dominguez plays by the uncertain Perea (only change to the side that drew in Almería), Atletico will get the same eleven which beat Villarreal (3-1) and end with a global run (and evil) of 73 league days without repeating team.

The uncertainty about Cristiano gets the derby in the hands of two lighted players: Kun Aguero and Karim Benzema. The Argentine (three goals in the last two games) was not so inspired from the start of the tournament, when was injured by Gurpegui in Bilbao what interrupted his magnificent performance (second day). In Almeria, seven days ago, Aguero gave the impression of being able to dominate everything and today also added the curiosity of potential interest of Real Madrid to sign him in summer.

Karim's case can be explained with goals, seven in the last four games. Processing, as revealed Mourinho inspired by Zidane and himself, has made him in a lethal striker. And that condition is multiplied if he plays in front of a shaky defense as Atletico's, a thousand times retouched by Quique.

Atletico are eighth on the table with 39 points and their goal is to qualify for next year's Europa League. The last time Atletico defeated Real Madrid at the Calderon was on 12 June 1999. Eighteen derbies have taken place since (nine at the Bernabeu, nine at the Calderon), and the Whites haven't lost a single one.