Diego Simeone highlights possible advantage for Atletico Madrid ahead of Real Madrid showdown | OneFootball

Atletico Madrid won both of their home matches against Real Madrid last season, and their intention will be to secure another victory at the Metropolitano on Sunday night.

Los Colchoneros are off the back of Thursday’s smash-and-grab victory at Getafe, and they will aim to ride that wave of momentum in the Madrid derby. They will hope to focus on that, rather than the two extra days of rest and preparation that Real Madrid have had for the showdown clash.

On that topic, Atleti head coach Diego Simeone expressed his thoughts, as per Diario AS.

“I don’t measure time at all. We accept what there is. When they sent us to play against Bilbao, nobody cared. Nobody cared what happened in the first game. We don’t care about playing every other day, every three days, every five days. You have to have people who work very well, you have to respect their work, because they do it very well.”

It will be the first Madrid derby without Toni Kroos, who retired in the summer. Simeone believes that his loss is a blow for Real Madrid, and also something that Atletico Madrid can benefit from.

“They have lost an important player in Kroos, or rather, he stopped playing. He is an extraordinary footballer, necessary in any team and they are in that process to look for that player who gives them that calm to take advantage of the offensive potential they have. We have new players and they will keep the team, the plan that the opponent has will not change.”