MADRID — La Liga’s bustling season transitions directly from the seventh to the eighth round this weekend, with the Madrid derby spotlighting the action as Atletico Madrid hosts Real Madrid at the Metropolitano Stadium.
According to Namibia Press Agency, Real Madrid, who last faced defeat at this venue nearly a year ago, enters the match with a preparatory advantage. Real played their last game against Alaves on Tuesday, whereas Atletico only completed their fixture against Celta Vigo late on Thursday. This scheduling difference afforded Real Madrid extra recovery and preparation time ahead of this pivotal clash.
The derby is anticipated to be intense, following Atletico’s narrow victory over Celta Vigo, where a late goal by Julian Alvarez was crucial. Despite the win, Atletico coach Diego Simeone might be concerned about the defensive lapses that allowed numerous chances for Celta Vigo. Meanwhile, Real faced its challenges against Alaves, narrowly escaping with all players intact as Vinicius Jr. and Endrick were on the brink of receiving red cards. Notably, Real will be without Kylian Mbappe due to a thigh injury, but Eduardo Camavinga’s return from injury is a boost.
Elsewhere in La Liga, FC Barcelona seeks to continue its perfect start, aiming for an eighth consecutive win as they visit Osasuna. Despite a narrow win against Getafe, signs of fatigue are showing, exacerbated by limited options for squad rotation due to ongoing injuries.
The weekend’s matches kick off on Friday night with Valladolid hosting Mallorca. Valladolid is under increasing pressure after only securing one win this season, while Mallorca comes off a spirited win against Real Betis. Getafe also seeks its first season win in a matchup against Alaves, and Rayo Vallecano faces Leganes in another Madrid derby.
In battles further down the league table, Real Sociedad looks for its first home win against Valencia. Additionally, Athletic Bilbao, fresh from a Europa League draw in Rome, hosts Sevilla, which has its own challenges with injuries and suspensions affecting key players.
The weekend’s fixtures will also see Real Betis taking on Espanyol, while Villarreal, led by striker Ayoze Perez, faces Las Palmas, who are yet to win this season.
