It’s a children’s thing

João Félix has participated in 56% of Atlético’s goals in this League and has provided three assists. Vinicius has intervened in 47% of Madrid’s goals and has scored four. Both, 22 years old and very close to becoming the flags of their teams, are the advance of the derby of the next decade. Starting with today’s, with the highly demanded rojiblanco team (a loss would take eight points away from the neighbor), although with the Metropolitan opening the way for him, against a Madrid invincible so far (follow the match live on AS.com).

the explosion of Vinicius is indisputable. Pichichi of his team, he leads the table of dribblers and is second in lost balls. His is all or nothing. And he is closer to everything. Two years ago he scored a goal every 453′. This year he does it every 138′. More success and more occasions to celebrate with that dance that has opened a global debate. That’s where the morbidity of the crash sneaks in. In a minor key, João Félix is ​​in the same. Starting in all Atlético matches except against Celta, he is one of the six team players who have been in all the matches.

Oblak returns

Atlético has lived the week in suspense for Oblak, down in the last two games due to a thigh injury. Five times Zamora, there has been no other goalkeeper for Simeone. In fact, his current substitute, Grbic, has only played four games for Atletico, three this season due to the loss of the Slovenian and another in the Cup three years ago against Cardassar. The Atlético coach confirmed that Oblak will playwhich alleviates the misfortunes of Atlético at the back, because their two main central defenders, Savic and Giménez, are out and still recovering from his pubalgia the last minute signing, Reguilón. In the rehearsals of the week, Simeone has shown that Felipe, Witsel (who may have come for something else) and Reinildo will be his central defenders today, with Molina and Saúl on the wings.

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Madrid, on the other hand, cannot recover Benzema, that since Cristiano’s departure has averaged more than 32 goals per season. Last year he made 44. He has no replacement in the squad, but Ancelotti recalled before the game against Leipzig that the team has managed well without him. And the data proves it: nine goals in 210′ without the Frenchman, at an average of one every 23 minutes, with seven different scorers. One of them Rodrygoaims to repeat as an interim nine ahead of Hazard.

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At Atlético, a change of guard is announced at the top. Simeone has tested with Matheus Cunha instead of Morata during the week. The Brazilian has only been a starter nine times since he arrived at Atlético and none this season, in which he has only played 65 minutes spread over five short periods. And he’s not a real nine either. He played in that position at Leipzig, where he didn’t convince Rangnick or Nagelsmann, and when he arrived at Hertha they put him on the left wing in a 4-2-3-1. “I don’t have a favorite position. I play where they need me”, he said during his time in the Bundesliga. Futsal fan and admirer of Ronaldinho, a large part of the athletic fans are on his side. more bearing consider Morata’s slipswho has been a starter in all seven games and has only scored in two. Gaps like this put him under suspicion. Last year, in Italy, he only scored one goal between December and March. Instead, it seems that will enter leash, the rojiblanco who participated in the most goals last year (23). This season he has returned to his revulsive role: only one clash as a starter.

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If Atlético ventures three changes compared to the team that fell in Leverkusen, Ancelotti will also make a reform to get closer to his ideal eleven. Militao, recovered from his injury in Glasgow, Mendy and Kroos will return. Those who won the Champions League in Paris are expected, plus Tchouameni for Casemiro and Rodrygo for Benzema.

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All the main statistics of the championship favor Madrid: Score more goals from set pieces (3-1), concede less (2-1), shoot ten times more per game, receive more fouls, give more passes and record fewer turnovers. He is also far superior in ball possession. Here a clear regression can be seen in the case of Atlético. Last season it was around 50% and now it has fallen to 42%, only above Getafe and Cádiz. Part of the explanation may be that their schedule has been significantly more complicated than Madrid’s, a terrible team in the second half, where He has scored 16 goals and has not conceded any. Only in the League has he scored 9 of his 15 goals in the last half hour. This time, in that section, he will have in front of Griezmannwho has scored three goals in the desserts, contractually forced to wake up when the game gets dark.

In any case, neither Atlético nor Simeone are pleasant rivals for Ancelotti, who maintains a negative balance with both. In his first stage, he went seven derbies without winning. And it should be remembered that of the last 21 finals played by Madrid, they only lost three and all were against Atlético.