Gago, Robben Set To Return

Fernando Gago looks set to be thrown from the treatment room straight into the starting line-up as Real Madrid step up their preparations for El Derbi Madrileño.

With only one more day’s worth of preparation to go before the big Madrid derbi, Los Blancos coach Bernd Schuster has already confirmed that Argentine midfielder Fernando Gago will start the match against Atlético.

The holding midfielder has yet to play a single minute of competitive football ever since he suffered a thigh injury against BATE Borisov in the Champions League exactly a month ago.

But Schuster has little option but to call on him as Mahamadou Diarrà appears certain to be omitted completely after failing to shake off the knee injury he sustained while away on international duty last weekend.

Gago, however, is unlikely to complete the full 90 minutes and as such, Javi García has been put on stand by to take over at some point in the second half.

Winger Arjen Robben, on the other hand, has passed a late fitness test after successfully shrugging off a niggle in his left quadriceps and he will be summoned to the squad. He is unlikely to make the starting line-up, though, as Schuster turns to Raúl, van Nistelrooy and Higuaín to lead the attack.