Madrid Derby: Real Madrid vs Atlético Madrid Preview | OneFootball

The first Madrid Derby of the 2026/27 season looks set to send Spain’s capital to a standstill as returning manager José Mourinho takes on long-standing Diego Simeone for bragging rights. With both clubs enduring a shaky start to the season and chasing Barcelona at the top, the winner of this derby will be very important for the title race in the months ahead. Here’s a preview of the Madrid Derby.

José Mourinho Returns to the Madrid Derby

The Special One will be shouting instructions from the touchline for Real Madrid as he prepares to face an old foe. Mourinho faced Atlético Madrid nine times in his previous stint as Real Madrid manager, and successfully won eight of those matches. His solitary loss occurred in the final Madrid Derby of his tenure, a 2-1 loss in the Supercopa de España final.

Real Madrid arrive off the back of a good start to the campaign, a run of seven games in which they have only lost once: a 1-0 defeat to Real Betis. Los Blancos have scored 19 goals so far, with star forward Kylian Mbappé once again instrumental to their success. Their most recent outing required some late heroics, as opponents Elche clawed their way back from a 2-0 deficit, only for super sub Carlos Espi to come on late and score the winning goal.

The only thing Real Madrid could be held accountable for is the lack of an ability to keep clean sheets. They have only kept one clean sheet since their season began, in the 4-0 victory over Malaga. In the other six games, they have conceded seven goals. The loss against Betis was deserved, but Real Madrid have to also thank their luck for scrappy victories against Espanyol, Inter and Elche.

Diego Simeone’s 51st Madrid Derby

Yes, that number is correct. Diego Simeone has managed 50 Madrid Derbies for the red-and-white side of Madrid, but his record isn’t that stellar. He has only 13 wins and 22 losses in this fixture, where his team have attacked the goal 66 times but have also picked the ball out of their own net 86 times.

For most of those fixtures, Simeone had talisman Antoine Griezmann to take on Los Blancos, who, for the first time in years, will not be playing this fixture anymore after he moved to the MLS. While a like-for-like replacement for Antoine Griezmann is hard to be found, Simeone has signed Kang-In Lee from PSG for that role. The South Korean has had a great start to his season, already providing two goals and an assist on his return to Spanish soccer. Additional signings like Cristian Romero, Alex Grimaldo and Jonathan David have also reinforced the squad for the long season ahead.

Form-wise, Atleti have been hit or miss. They have won four of the six games they have played in La Liga so far, and also suffered defeat at the hands of Liverpool in their Champions League fixture. A draw against Villarreal was also heavily criticized by home fans, but after those two defeats, Atleti have bounced back strong, scoring three and four goals against Real Sociedad and Osasuna respectively as they head into this derby.

Canadian Jonathan David’s arrival to the Spanish capital has turned heads. I will not be addressing the elephant in the room as we are TIRED of the Julián Alvarez saga here, but it’s clear that Atleti are already planning for a life beyond the number 9 lest he is decided to be moved on in the winter window or next summer.

The History of Madrid Derby

This will be the 244th edition of the Derbi Madrileño, making it one of the oldest rivalries to exist in soccer. Real Madrid have won 119 derbies, starting all the way back in 1906 in the first-ever encounter. Atleti have a humble 61 wins, with 63 draws between them.

Historically, Atletico Madrid were the successful Madrid team in the early years of Spanish soccer. By 1953, Atletico Madrid had four La Liga titles while Real Madrid only had two. However, the golden era of Madrid from the mid-1950s to the 1980s saw the tide turn heavily in favor of the white team, while Atletico never regained their earlier advantage.

Although they share 47 La Liga and 30 Copa del Rey titles between them, Real Madrid does most of the heavy lifting.

Fun Facts:

Team News and Predictions

Real Madrid will go all out with their gala XI, not having to worry about rotation since it’s the last game before the international break. Only Eder Militão, Rodrygo and Ferland Mendy remain unavailable for selection.

Expected XI for Real Madrid in the Madrid Derby

For Atlético Madrid, prisoner #009 Julian Alvarez is still carrying a muscle injury, so his availability is up in the air. His partner Alexander Sørloth is also not confirmed a medical clearance alongside Pablo Barrios.

Expected XI for Atletico Madrid in the Madrid Derby

Prediction: 2-2 Draw

Read more: 5 Things We Learned From the Julián Alvarez and FC Barcelona Saga