Madrid: Real Madrid were supposedly in a mess last summer and Atletico Madrid about to challenge for the title but each have defied expectations ahead of their meeting at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday.
With Real marching to the top of La Liga and Atletico languishing in fifth, the city derby this weekend is less a contest of rivals and more a moderately awkward assignment for the now title favourites.
A local derby can have a rhythm of its own, as shown by Espanyol in 20th holding Barcelona in first to a 2-2 draw earlier this month.
But Atletico will need a similar reversal of form, after four games without a win, in which they have lost to Eibar, drawn at home to Leganes – now themselves last in La Liga – and been knocked out of the Copa del Rey by Cultural Leonesa of Segunda B.
Bale exit
Zinedine Zidane has said he is “not contemplating” Gareth Bale leaving Real Madrid, on Friday, before the end of the January transfer window.
Bale came close to joining Chinese Super League side Jiangsu Suning last summer and English newspaper the Times reported on Friday the Welshman was in talks to rejoin his former club Tottenham.
However, a source at Tottenham has told AFP they are not in negotiations to sign Bale this month. (AFP)
