Real’s true title ambitions to be tested by in-form Atletico
MADRID – Real Madrid can show how serious their bid to land a first La Liga title in five years really is when they host local rivals Atletico Madrid on Saturday in the midst of the best run of results in the campaign by Diego Simeone’s side.
Real ended a three-season drought against their neighbours earlier on in the campaign with a 3- 0 win at the Vicente Calderon in November, thanks to a hat- trick from Cristiano Ronaldo, a display Zinedine Zidane’s side have struggled to top.
The European champions’ destiny is in their own hands as they lead holders Barcelona by two points while also having a game in hand, though doubts linger about their true quality.
Real’s play has been littered with laps es of concentration in defence and they have often had to rely on late escape acts to see them through difficult games.
Atletico have won all three of their previous visits to the Santiago Bernabeu in the league and head there after beating Real Sociedad 1-0 on Tuesday to record five consecutive domestic wins for the first time this season.
Zidane made wholesale changes to his team in Wednesday’s 4- 2 win at Leganes in preparation for the derby, resting Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Toni Kroos.
Marco Asensio and Alvaro Morata shone in the absence of the team’s big hitters to help put Real up 3- 0 after 25 minutes but familiar frailties were visible at the back as they conceded twice in two minutes before adding a fourth after the break.
Real will find it tougher to compensate for any similar errors against Atletico, who have conceded just one goal in their last six games in all competitions.