Madrid Derby 2015: Form Guide, Live Stream for Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid
Wednesday will bring the latest entry into the storied derby between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, as the fierce rivals will meet in the second leg of the 2014-15 UEFA Champions League quarter-final clash at the Bernabeu.
The first leg at the Vicente Calderon ended in a goalless draw, but the match was anything but boring. Fierce duels, aggression and cynical fouls dominated the headlines, and more of the same can be expected on Wednesday.
Real are the Champions League holders; Atletico are the current La Liga champions. Derbies don't get any better than this, and this latest clash will be must-watch TV.
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Date: Wednesday, April 22
Time: 7:45 p.m. BST/2:45 p.m. ET
Venue: Estadio Bernabeu, Madrid
TV info and live stream: The match will be broadcast on NOW TV (for UK viewers) and Fox Sports 1 USA (for U.S. viewers), with mobile coverage available via the Sky Go app and Fox Soccer 2Go.
Form Guide
Real Madrid
Los Blancos have won four of their last five matches across all competitions, with one draw against Atletico in the first leg of this tie. Their last loss will be exactly one month ago on Wednesday, against Barcelona in El Clasico.
The defending champions have one of the deepest squads in all of football, and as shared by Nicholas Rigg of ESPN FC, that depth will be severely tested:
Luka Modric remains one of the most versatile attacking midfielders on the planet, but he only recently returned from another injury―Los Blancos know how to deal with his absence.
The same goes for Gareth Bale, who has been inconsistent all season. Manager Carlo Ancelotti can opt to field James Rodriguez in a wide role, with Isco taking on the responsibility of main playmaker alongside Toni Kroos.
Karim Benzema's absence will be the biggest issue. The France international is so much more than a pure scorer, and his ability to present a target for his team-mates and help out in the buildup play is something none of the other strikers at Real's disposal have.
Without his presence, this fantastic streak, courtesy of the club's official Twitter account, may be in jeopardy:
Ancelotti already declared he isn't concerned with the absence of several key players, as shared by Marca English, but perhaps he should be:
Luckily, one man who should be fit to face the Atleti is Cristiano Ronaldo, whose goal against Malaga gave him 50 this season, once again, per Squawka:
Defensively, Los Blancos have looked more than solid in recent weeks, but as we're about to find out, they'll be in for a challenge on Wednesday.
Atletico Madrid
Atletico have won four of their last six to go along with two draws, with their last loss coming against Bayer Leverkusen in the previous round of the Champions League.
They hardly impressed during the weekend with a 2-1 win over Deportivo La Coruna, and there was one man who once again carried the team on his back, Antoine Griezmann, who is enjoying a fantastic season, via OptaJose:
His scoring record for a winger in his first season with a top club is frankly ridiculous, and there's no doubt the France international will be Atletico's main danger man.
After a difficult start to his career in Madrid, Griezmann has flipped the switch since the turn of the year. Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe is one of many who didn't expect this level of success so soon:
Mario Mandzukic isn't scoring at an incredible rate, but his physical playing style will weigh on any defence and open up acres of space for his team-mates. He's expected to be fit in time for Wednesday's clash, despite concerns regarding his ankle, via AS English:
Simeone's troops will rely on their star-studded defence and quick counter-attacks to take away Real's raw pace, and without Modric there to thread the key pass and Benzema to provide a big target in the box, it will be interesting to see how Real respond.
This match is almost impossible to predict, and while Los Blancos should be favourites based on the fact they'll be at home, don't be shocked if Atletico manage a goal of their own and pull off the upset.
