Atletico Madrid v Real Madrid predictions: Los Blancos can take derby spoils

Best bets and predictions for Atletico Madrid v Real Madrid in La Liga on Sunday.

Where to watch

ITV4 & Premier Sports 2, 8pm Sunday

Best bet

Real Madrid
1pt 13-10 bet365, Betfair, Coral

Match preview

Talismanic forward Karim Benzema will not feature for Real Madrid in Sunday's crunch derby with city rivals Atletico but Los Blancos should nonetheless feel confident of taking maximum points.

Benzema is expected to scoop the Ballon d'Or later this year after spearheading Real Madrid's Champions League triumph last season but he has missed their last two matches with a thigh injury.

In his absence Real powered past Mallorca 4-1 and shut out Leipzig 2-0 and in Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and goal-scoring midfielder Federico Valverde, Real have players to compensate for the loss of Benzema's goals.

Carlo Ancelotti's men have won all eight of their competitive assignments this season and look in a much better place than Madrid counterparts Atletico.

Diego Simeone's men are looking to bounce back from an underwhelming 2021-22 campaign but they have hardly set La Liga alight and were beaten 2-0 by an out-of-form Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Atleti's fanbase are becoming increasingly disgruntled, key centre-backs Stefan Savic and Jose Gimenez are both sidelined and forward Antoine Griezmann has featured only sparingly this season.

Atletico do not have the same fear factor they once had under Simeone and this should be a straightforward win for Real.

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