Being part of a massive club like Real Madrid means that once a match is over, you don’t have much time to celebrate it or dwell on it before looking forward to what comes next. This time, Los Blancos look forward to El Derbi Madrileno as they visit Atletico Madrid on Saturday night.
Coming out of three massive matches, Real Madrid have momentum on their side. Just a week ago, the club were in a supposed “crisis” after a humiliating 3-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League. They came back strong as they beat Sevilla and Osasuna (both teams were unbeaten before facing Los Blancos) in brilliant fashion.
First came Sevilla, and Real Madrid were able to beat them 1-0 without conceding a single shot on goal. If that wasn’t impressive enough, they then hosted Osasuna in a match where they heavily rotated the team but still conceded no shots on goal.
Now, though, they look forward to yet another major test as they take on Atletico Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano. With Real Madrid in first place going into this match, their cross-city rivals find themselves in second with only one point separating the two.
Aside from the obvious reasons as to why this match means a lot to both teams and their sets of fans, Real Madrid will need to come out with all three points for other reasons as well.
Momentum:
It is not a secret that Zinedine Zidane is placing a lot of importance on the league this season, and a win to go four points ahead of Atletico Madrid and Barcelona (if they win their upcoming game) would give them a tiny bit of breathing room.
Even though a four-point lead this early in the season means absolutely nothing, it will give them the momentum they require to continue fighting in the league.
You get no prizes for being top of the league in September, but what you do get is that extra push and motivation to continue doing everything in your power to cement that place. Without momentum and consistent performances, you will not win the league. We saw Real Madrid fail because of that reason countless times.
Confidence:
This is a game for certain players to shine. Against Osasuna, we saw what it meant for Vinicius Junior to finally get the ball into the back of the net, as he broke down in tears seconds after scoring.
Against Atletico Madrid, a goal by anyone can increase their confidence in ways barely any other match can.
Imagine what a game like this can do to someone like Eden Hazard? Real Madrid will undoubtedly field their best possible starting lineup, and Hazard will be a part of that. But also keep your eyes on the bench, as players like Vinicius or Luka Jovic could come in and introduce themselves to the game in spectacular fashion.
Pride:
Overall, there can be no arguments who the better team is whether it’s historically or in current stature, but that means absolutely nothing if the “better team” lose on the night. Atletico Madrid have become true title contenders, which means that Real Madrid can no longer take this game lightly.
Even though they haven’t taken it lightly in recent seasons, they haven’t really shone as much as we would have liked them to.
Win El Derbi Madrileno, and the city is yours for the taking. Lose the game and you can go home hoping you make it in one piece. League standings and history don’t matter for those 90 minutes.