Real plan Madrid derby

Real Madrid are planning to bring in the new year by staging a friendly match against their neighbours Atlético Madrid.

According to reports on local radio station La SER today, the idea to hold a derby between the
capital's top two clubs comes from the local Madrid city council, who have approached both club's Sports Managers with the proposal.

Fitting the game into Real's non-stop calendar will not be easy but club official Jorge Valdano has provisionally agreed to the match to go ahead on January 1 2002.

There has also been a suggestion to invite the city's other top club, Rayo Vallecano into the programme and convert the engagement into a three team, all-Madrid tournament.

Atletico have not faced their neighbours Real since they were relegated to La Segunda in 2000, on that occasion, the points were shared with goals coming from Fernando Morientes for Real and Santiago Solari, who crossed town to sign for the Merengues shortly afterwards.