Atletico Madrid vs. Real Madrid: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview

Atletico Madrid will play host to Real Madrid in the first leg of their Copa del Rey round-of-16 clash this Wednesday, hoping to seal their second derby win of the 2014-15 campaign.

Diego Simeone's men handed Los Merengues a 2-1 defeat at the Bernabeu back in September, but Carlo Ancelotti's side now have more than just pride at stake as they look to defend their title.

Sealing a win at the Vicente Calderon will be pivotal for the hosts if they hope to make it into the competition's quarter-finals, with all the essential viewing information and match preview discussed ahead.

Date: Wednesday, January 7

Time: 8 p.m. GMT/3 p.m. ET

Live Stream: Sky Go (UK), beIN Sports Play (US)

TV Info: Sky Sports 5 (UK), beIN Sports 2 (US)

Los Rojiblancos' Redemption

Steve Bardens/Getty Images

Despite the aforementioned win four months ago, Atleti will still feel some of the scars from last season's Champions League final defeat, a result which gave Real their 10th European crown—La Decima.

As things stand domestically, Los Rojiblancos are a point below Los Blancos after Ancelotti's men saw their 22-game winning streak end against Valencia on Sunday.

Real lost 2-1 at the Mestalla, much to the joy of Atleti, Barcelona and other such La Liga pursuers, a result which Ben Hayward of Goal.com viewed as thanks to an overloaded schedule:

What's more, squad rotation will be a big factor on Wednesday. Atletico's 3-1 win over Levante on Saturday was a far easier result and gives the reigning league champions an extra day's rest.

With such a pivotal clash coming up, Dermot Corrigan of ESPN FC was left scratching his head as to why Ancelotti didn't rest more of his star players:

Regardless, Real led with their strongest hand and still came out as losers against Los Che, an outcome that risks lowering morale in Ancelotti's camp, again to Atletico's advantage.

Los Blancos' streak is a thing of the past and Real would appear on the ropes at present, giving Simeone's side what would seem like the perfect opportunity to pounce in midweek.

Fernando Torres' Reinauguration

Andres Kudacki/Associated Press

One of the biggest storylines surrounding Wednesday's clash is whether or not it will bring about the return of Fernando Torres, and what a date it would be for the striker to turn out once more in Atleti colours.

The on-loan forward, who recently completed his switch from Milan, was unveiled in front of 45,000 Vicente Calderon spectators in an emotional reunion on Sunday, per the club's official Twitter account:

Simeone almost certainly won't utilise Torres from the start, but the Spaniard will undoubtedly be baying to have even the slightest impact against his boyhood's club's fiercest rivals.

Torres has spoken on the opportunity, too, per Inside Spanish Football, giving a tenacious talk on his enthusiasm to get restarted at the club where his career began:

"

I’m very happy, emotional to be coming home and eager to get started. I’ve always had very little to say to the fans, they’ve said everything for me.  The support they’ve always given me has been disproportionate to the amount of respect I’ve ever been able to give the club. Everything I could’ve ever expected was exceeded whenever I played them as a rival, and that includes today.

Cholo wanted me here yesterday but I couldn’t.  Now I’m here and eager to get started, join training and work under his orders, get to know my teammates and I can’t wait for the 5th because that’s when I officially become an Atletico Madrid player.

God willing, I’ll make my debut against Real Madrid.  I hope they feel I’m ready to do so.  I want to enjoy the best moment in the history of the club and give my all like I’ve always done.  I don’t want to leave any doubt, it’s what the fans ask of me.

"

It almost seems like the stars have aligned above Torres, giving him the chance to make his dramatic comeback for Atleti in a fixture that sets an ideal stage for him to win their hearts once more.

For some, he's never truly left, but Simeone will have final say on whether or not the forward is ready to feature, let alone shoulder such responsibility following such a drab patch in his career.