Juventus Host SPAL In Italy

A fierce football rivalry will be rekindled today in La Liga when Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid clash in the Madrid derby at the Wanda Metropolitano. 

The game will be the 165th encounter between both teams in La Liga. The two giants meet for the first time this season, although Atletico trounced Real 7-3 in a pre-season game in July.

Real Madrid, however, have recovered from their patchy pre-season form. They currently remain unbeaten and top the league table with 14 points after six games. Los Blancos manager, Zinedine Zidane, now has the full complement of his squad and can call on Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale, Eden Hazard and Vinícius Jr. in attack, while relying on midfield marshal, Casemiro, defenders Raphael Varane and captain Sergio Ramos to keep opponents at bay.

On the other hand, Atletico have endured mixed fortunes, losing and drawing one game apiece in their last three games. Los Rojiblancos, currently third, will however, want a change of fortune.

Manager Diego Simeone can call on attackers Joao Felix and Diego Costa; midfielders Thomas Partey and captain Koke and defender Luis Jimenez. Also today, Juventus, the Italian league champions, host SPAL. The game will be live at 2pm.

The Old Lady are trailing table toppers, Inter Milan, by two points and hope to close the gap or even get one better than their title rivals. SPAL have a daunting task, having lost four of their last five games, conceding 11 goals. Manager Walter Mattioli’s team will have a tough time trying to contain Cristiano Ronaldo, Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala, the likely attacking set-up to be deployed by his opposite number, Maurizio Sarri.