Will Karim Benzema or Luis Suarez be fit in time for this match?
1 min read
First-place Real Madrid welcome city rival fourth-place Atletico Madrid to the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday for the Madrid derby, one of La Liga’s biggest showdowns. Los Blancos enter the match having gone 12 games unbeaten, but may be without superstar striker Karim Benzema, while Atleti are coming off an emotional win at Porto midweek in the Champions League on Paramount+ to make the round of 16. Los Colchoneros can pull within seven points of Real with a win, while Los Blancos have the chance to finish the weekend with a double-digit lead atop the table.
Here’s are storylines, how you can watch the match and more:
How to watch and odds
- Date: Sunday, Dec. 12 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Estadio Santiago Bernabeu — Madrid, Spain
- Live stream: ESPN+
- Odds: Real Madrid +111; Draw +240; Atletico +250 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Storylines
Real: Karim Benzema rejoined Real for training on Saturday and is set to be available for Sunday’s showdown, barring any discomfort. He had to be taken off a week ago against Real Sociedad with a minor hamstring injury, missing out on Tuesday’s Champions League win over Inter Milan. If he can’t go, Carlo Ancelotti will likely turn to Luka Jovic, who scored against Sociedad but struggled to make much of an impact midweek. The partnership of Benzema and Vinicius in attack has been one of the main reasons why Real have become the clear favorites to win the league after their electric start to the season.
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Atleti: Atleti enter with a ton of injury issues, both at the back and in attack. Star striker Luis Suarez was substituted early in that 3-1 win over Porto with an apparent injury, but he did return to training on Friday after not practicing on Thursday. It looks like he very well may just play. Fellow Uruguayan, Jose Maria Gimenez, Atleti’s best center back, returned to the team this week and looks set to feature as well, meaning Diego Simeone could have two of his biggest players for its biggest remaining game of the calendar year.
Prediction
Benzema plays a little, doesn’t look all that comfortable, and Atleti take a point on the road against their rival. Pick: Real Madrid 1, Atletico 1
