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Two capital heavyweights clash as Real Madrid travel to crosstown rivals Atlético Madrid for their last fixture before the international break.
Los Blancos head to the Metropolitano looking to secure a third consecutive La Liga win, with convincing victories over Rayo Vallecano and Elche serving as the ideal bounce-back from their loss at Real Betis a fortnight ago. They remain in pursuit of league leaders Barcelona, however, and will be anxious about dropping further points to their Clásico adversaries this weekend.
José Mourinho faces a few selection dilemmas ahead of Sunday's derby, though he seems unlikely to make significant changes from the squad that needed a late winner from Carlos Espí to edge past Elche on Tuesday.
Here's how Madrid could line up against Atléti.
Real Madrid Predicted Lineup vs. Atlético Madrid
GK: Thibaut Courtois—The Belgian endured a nightmare on his last trip to the Metropolitano, conceding five goals in a historic La Liga loss to his former club. He'll be on high alert against a rejuvenated Atléti attack that has netted seven times across their past two games.
RB: Denzel Dumfries—Having been dropped in favor of Trent Alexander-Arnold against Elche, Dumfries is expected to reclaim his starting spot this weekend. He should pose a challenge to the World Cup-winning pair of Álex Grimaldo and Álex Baena on Atléti's left flank.
CB: Ibrahima Konaté—The Frenchman has yet to keep a clean sheet for Madrid and may have to wait until after the international break to record his first shutout.
CB: Dean Huijsen—Despite missing out on Spain's World Cup squad, Huijsen's strong early-season form has earned him a recall to Luis de la Fuente's national team setup.
LB: Marc Cucurella—He'll need to improve after a below-par display at Elche. It will be the World Cup winner's first experience of the Madrid derby, and he tends to rise to the occasion on big matchdays.
CM: Federico Valverde—The midfielder has shown signs of improvement in recent appearances, though Mourinho still has work to do in shoring up his leaky midfield partnership.
Pick Your Real Madrid XI!
CM: Aurélien Tchouaméni—The Frenchman made his first start of the campaign against Elche and delivered an expectedly inconsistent performance. He should hold onto his place nonetheless, despite competition from Bernardo Silva.
RW: Yan Diomande—A dazzling midweek display was a timely reminder of why Madrid invested heavily in Diomande. The quick-footed Ivorian will trouble Atléti with his blistering pace and confident ball-carrying.
AM: Jude Bellingham—Mourinho will be reluctant to leave out Arda Güler after an impressive outing at Elche in his favored No. 10 position, but there is no realistic scenario in which Bellingham is left out for such a high-stakes fixture.
LW: Vinícius Júnior—Vini Jr. has managed just one goal this season, though he has contributed three assists. His record against Atléti leaves much to be desired, with only three goals in 20 appearances—and none at the Metropolitano.
ST: Kylian Mbappé—Whatever criticism comes Mbappé's way, he continues to find the net. He now has eight goals in seven matches following his strike against Elche as he pushes for his first-ever Ballon d'Or later this year.