MADRID, Sept. 23 (silubaba) -- Atletico Madrid will face Real Madrid on Sunday evening in Spain's first major clash in La Liga this season. Even at this early stage, the outcome could be pivotal for the title race.
Real Madrid will travel to Atletico's Metropolitano Stadium boasting five wins from their first five La Liga matches. Their recent victory came after Jude Bellingham secured a 95th-minute win to kick off their Champions League campaign on Wednesday night.
Bellingham has been instrumental in Real Madrid's impressive start, netting six goals in his first six games. His contributions have been vital, especially with the hamstring injury sidelining Vinicius Jr and Karim Benzema's move to Saudi Arabia.
However, the England midfielder had to leave training on Friday due to a stomach issue. While he's anticipated to start on Sunday, there are concerns that this setback might affect his performance. Dani Carvajal is expected to be absent, with Lucas Vazquez likely to fill in as he did in the midweek match. Toni Kroos might replace Luka Modric in the starting lineup.
Atletico began the season well, but the postponement of their match against Sevilla and the subsequent international break seem to have disrupted their momentum. Diego Simeone described their 3-0 loss to Valencia as the worst performance during his 12-year tenure. Although they managed a 1-1 draw against Lazio last week, injuries have hampered Simeone's ability to make adjustments.
Koke is expected to be available for Sunday's match. However, Memphis Depay, Pablo Barrios (who scored against Lazio), Rodrigo de Paul, Thomas Lemar, and Reinildo Mandava will likely miss the game.
A victory for Atletico could shake up the top of the table. However, if Real Madrid secures three points, they would establish an 11-point lead over their rivals after only six matches this season. ■
微信扫描下方的二维码阅读本文
