Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid prediction, odds and betting tips
Two clubs from the Spanish capital will do battle in a crunch clash in La Liga this weekend.
Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid best offer
Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid odds
Find the latest match odds for Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid. All odds are provided by our best-reviewed football betting sites. Odds are subject to change.
⚡Quick Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid betting tips
- Real Madrid to win - 7/10 with bet365
- Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals -Evens with bet365
- Vinicius Junior to score any time - 6/4 with bet365
Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid predictions
There is no love lost between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.
For a long time before Diego Simeone’s appointment as Atletico manager in December 2011, this was a very one-sided derby.
A month before that event, Real Madrid fans held aloft a banner during a clash between the teams. “Wanted: A worthy rival for a decent derby.”
They soon got their wish. There was a period between 2013 and 2016 where Atletico went seven La Liga games unbeaten against their local adversaries, although they were twice beaten by Madrid in Champions League finals.
A 12-match winless streak in the league then followed for Simeone’s side, as Madrid took control once more. But there have been more positive signs for Atletico in recent editions of the derby.
Madrid have won just one of the last four La Liga encounters between the pair. Atletico were victorious in the reverse fixture, winning 3-1 in September.
They also beat Carlo Ancelotti’s team in the last 16 of the Copa del Rey last month, triumphing 4-2 after extra time, although Madrid had beaten Atletico in the Supercoppa a few days earlier.
One thing is clear: the fear factor from Atletico’s end is gone. They will begin this weekend’s contest as underdogs, but that does not mean they will arrive at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu without belief.
Even without the issue of local bragging rights, this is an important encounter for both clubs. Madrid are locked in an unlikely two-horse title race with Girona, the upstarts from Catalonia.
Atletico, meanwhile, are by no means guaranteed a top-four finish, with fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao just five points behind as things stand.
A win for either team would be a major boost to their respective aims this season. It would also ensure they are the kings of the city, at least for a while.
�� Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid betting tips
Local rivals Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid will renew hostilities at the Bernabeu this weekend, and home advantage could be key.
Real Madrid to win - 7/10 (bet365)
Real Madrid are being kept honest by Girona this term. Ancelotti’s men are 10 points clear of Atletico and Barcelona, the two teams expected to rival them for the title in 2023/24.
Yet Madrid’s lead at the summit of the standings is just two points due to Girona’s extraordinary exploits. The top two will go head-to-head in a blockbuster encounter next weekend.
In the interim, Girona will hope for a favour from Atletico. However, we do not expect them to get one.
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Madrid have a formidable home record this season, collecting 28 points from a possible 30 when playing in front of their own fans. They also won all three of their Champions League group games at the Bernabeu.
Atletico have also been excellent on familiar turf, but less so on the road. No one has amassed as many points at home as Simeone’s team, but Atletico rank only seventh in La Liga’s away table having lost half of their 10 matches at opposition grounds.
As far as this fixture goes, you have to go all the way back to February 2016 for the last time Atletico won a league game in their rivals’ backyard.
Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals - Evens (bet365)
Atletico have played some excellent football at times this season. Simeone has a tendency towards tactical cautiousness, but he has frequently let his attackers off the leash in recent months.
As well as scoring 10 goals in three meetings with Madrid, they also notched three against Girona. They are averaging two goals per game, a rate bettered only by the top two.
It will be interesting to see whether Simeone goes back to his roots at the Bernabeu by attempting to shut up shop.
His precise strategy is hard to predict, but a team that contains the attacking talents of Antoine Griezmann and Memphis Depay should be able to generate a fair few chances.
Madrid, for their part, are averaging 2.5 goals per home game this term. They will also be facing an Atletico defence which has not been as solid as previous iterations.
Vinicius Junior to score any time - 6/4 (bet365)
Joselu gave Ancelotti something to think about by scoring both of Madrid’s two goals in a victory over Getafe on Thursday.
Despite his efforts at Estadio Coliseum, the 33-year-old will probably have to make do with a place on the bench for the derby.
Madrid are likely to go for a two-man attack of Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo, with Jude Bellingham joining in whenever he can.
Vinicius is our pick in the anytime scorer market. His season has been disrupted by injuries, but the Brazil international has been productive when fit.
Vinicius is often the man for the big occasion too: consider his brilliant hat-trick against Barcelona last month.
�� How to watch Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid
- Location: Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain.
- Date and time: Sunday 4 February 2024, 8pm.
- How to watch: Viaplay Sports 1.
Greg Lea
Greg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.
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