Derby day finally arrives in Madrid

The Madrid derby between Real and Atletico is a more friendly rivalry than that between Real Madrid and Barcelona but both sides still desperately want to claim supremacy in the Spanish capital.

Sunday's match has an added edge because it is the first time in three seasons that the two clubs will meet in the league, Atletico having suffered what is usually described by their fans as 'Two Years in Hell' following their surprise relegation at the end of the 1999-2000 season.

"When the two teams meet you can forget the form book," said Real keeper Iker Casillas this week.

Real are in second place in the league, with 36 points from 17 games, and snapping at the heels of leaders Real Sociedad who have just a one point advantage.

Atletico are back in eighth with 24 points but, curiously, have beaten or drawn with the five teams they have played who are currently above them.

"But who doesn't get worried when he has to face Real's strikers," joked Mono Burgos, Atletico's Argentine goalkeeper, who will have to keep out Raul, Ronaldo and the rest.

The mutual respect between the two clubs extends off the field, in sharp contrast to the vitriol regularly spat out between Real and Barcelona.

Real president Florentino Perez was one of the first to congratulate Atletico when they secured promotion last summer.

"Real need Atletico in the Spanish first division. Atletico are a club with a great tradition and our derby matches always have a special place in the calendar. They are friends and neighbours," added Perez.

The relative success of Burgos and Casillas between the posts will be one of the key factors in the match, as will the ability of Real's Raul and Atletico's Fernando Torres in getting the ball past them.

The pair of strikers have had parallel careers.

Raul, now 25 and already a veteran of 300 league games, was a member of Atletico's youth teams until their controversial club president Jesus Gil dismantled them as a budget-saving measure while Fernando Torres, 18, spent his early teens learning his trade at Real until he was seduced across the city.

Torres has already found the net nine times this season, compared to Raul's eight goals, and this spring looks on course to become the youngest Spanish international since Raul pulled on a Spanish jersey as a teenager.

"Fernando Torres has all the talent to be one of the best strikers ever. He's still young and so I am not going to burden him with other comments. Let me just say, he's very, very good," said Ronaldo on Thursday, no mean goalgetter himself.

The Brazilian World Cup winner and 2002 World Player of the Year has fond memories of his only other league game against Atletico.

In 1997, wearing the colours of Barcelona, he scored a hat trick in a 5-2 drubbing of Atletico.
Despite the Madrid derby hogging the headline, Real Sociedad could ensure on Saturday that they end the weekend holding on to the top spot with a victory over visiting Celta Vigo.

Sociedad are unbeaten so far this season and showed their true credentials after going two down at Valencia last weekend, by coming back to draw 2-2.

The Basques have now set their sights on remaining undefeated for the first half of the season, while Celta have lost their last two games and will also be without their influential defender Fernando Caceres, who is suspended.

The other big game of the weekend pits Barcelona against reigning champions Valencia.

Valencia are in third with 29 points while Barcelona languish down in ninth with 23 points.

"We've been playing better than last year but that doesn't always translate into points so the one thing I want against Barca is a bit of luck to come in our direction for a change, then I won't be able to complain about anything else," complained Valencia coach Rafa Benitez on Thursday.

The Andalusian derby between Sevilla and Malaga will be played at midday on Sunday due to police concern about security, with crowd trouble inside and outside grounds having been a regular feature at games between the two clubs in the past.

Saturday:

Real Sociedad vs. Celta Vigo
Barcelona vs. Valencia

Sunday:

Sevilla vs. Malaga
Alaves vs. Osasuna
Deportivo La Coruna vs. Athletic Bilbao
Real Mallorca vs. Recreativo Huelva
Racing Santander vs. Real Betis
Rayo Vallecano vs. Valladolid
Villarreal vs. Espanyol
Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid