The 231st meeting between city rivals Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid will occur in the quarter-finals of this season’s Copa del Rey.
Los Blancos’ last domestic cup triumph came in 2014 when Gareth Bale famously ran straight round Marc Bartra to score the winner. The Welshman has since retired from football.
Diego Simeone’s side last won this trophy in 2013 against their most bitter rivals in their own Santiago Bernabeu stadium.
Planet League’s Rich Holmes & Sustainable Clarets’ Cat Jebson join Shebahn Aherne to have football’s climate conversation ahead of Green Football Weekend. If you can’t see this embed, click here to listen to the podcast!
Here’s all you need to know ahead of their latest clash.
United Kingdom
United States
Canada
Real Madrid team news
Carlo Ancelotti has a few injury problems to contend with heading into the derby.
Eden Hazard (ankle), David Alaba (leg) and Dani Carvajal (muscle) aren’t expected to return until February, while Lucas Vazquez (ankle) is a longer term absentee.
(4-3-3): Courtois; Nacho, Militao, Rudiger, Mendy; Tchouameni, Modric, Kroos; Valverde, Benzema, Vinicius.
Atletico Madrid team news
Unlike Ancelotti, Simeone has a full squad to pick from for this one.
Memphis Depay made a 15 minute cameo from the bench in Saturday’s win over Real Valladolid and is in line for his first start here following his move from Barcelona.
(4-4-2): Oblak; Molina, Savic, Hermoso, Reinildo; Llorente, De Paul, Kondogbia, Carrasco; Griezmann, Memphis.
Both sides head into the Derbi Madrileno having managed to steady their respective ships in recent weeks.
Barcelona remain the team to beat in Spain right now but progression to the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey as victors of this famous derby could really kickstart either of Real or Atleti’s seasons.
If only by virtue of home advantage, Ancelotti’s men should emerge from the fire on Thursday.
Prediction: Real Madrid 3-1 Atletico Madrid