Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti brushed off suggestions this week could prove decisive in the LaLiga title race as his side prepare to host city rivals Atletico.
Ancelotti’s men head into the contest 10 points clear of their opponents and locked in a tight battle at the top of the table with next week’s opponents Girona.
A win on Sunday would ensure they go into that contest in top spot, regardless of how the Catalan side get on against Real Sociedad.
Ancelotti refused to put any kind of conclusive weight on the next seven days but did acknowledge the significance of the two upcoming home clashes.
He told a press conference: “(The week is) not decisive, but important. It’s very important to pick up points at this moment, before the Champions League.
“These are very important games and we’re going into them in the best possible way. We have to take advantage of these two games at home to get points.
“Given the value of the opponent and the importance of the match, it’s good for us to be back at the Bernabeu. It has always helped us and it will do so tomorrow. They are intense matches with a lot of pressure.”
Sunday’s meeting will mark the third Madrid derby in less than a month after Ancelotti’s men beat their rivals 5-3 in their semi-final en route to winning the Spanish Super Cup before Atletico gained revenge with a 4-2 triumph in the last 16 of the Copa Del Rey, with both ties settled in extra-time.
The Real boss is managing a number of injuries, with defenders Eder Militao and David Alaba and midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni all unavailable and Antonio Rudiger a doubt with a muscle strain.
On Rudiger, Ancelotti said: “He’s improved a lot in the last few days. I expect the same improvement between today and tomorrow. He will be in the squad and I will decide tomorrow if he plays or not.
“The height of the team without (Rudiger and Tchouameni) drops and we have to make the right decision regarding set-pieces.”
Nevertheless, Ancelotti remained upbeat about those who remain available for selection and was not concerned that his club did not sign another centre-back in January.
He added: “We thought, after Alaba’s injury, that Tchouameni could do well as an an emergency measure in the centre-back position. Tomorrow is an absolute emergency, but only for one game. Besides, Militao will be back before the end of the season. He’s starting to look very good.
“(Eduardo) Camavinga can also play as a centre-back. He brings the ball out very quickly, he is quick and strong in tackles.
“I also have the options of (Ferland) Mendy and (Dani) Carvajal. All three options give me confidence and I think they can do very well tomorrow. The centre-back job is the easiest in football because you have to use your head more than your energy.”
Atletico go into the game on a five-game winning run in all competitions, kick-started by the cup win over Real, but, like his opposite number, boss Diego Simeone was reluctant to put too much weight on the outcome of the game.
“With so many days left, it is not good to think this way,” he told a press conference.
“It is an important game, they are first in LaLiga, they are strong at home, they are supported by their fans. We will have to be very good.”
Postecoglou: Spurs have a confidence problem to overcome
Ange Postecoglou says that Tottenham need to "overcome" their low confidence after suffering a 4-2 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday.
Spurs slipped to their fourth consecutive Premier League defeat, being left to bemoan their slow start as they found themselves 4-0 down by the hour mark thanks to goals from Mohamed Salah, Andrew Robertson, Cody Gakpo and Harvey Elliott.
Richarlison came off the bench to salvage some pride for Spurs, scoring one before setting up Son Heung-min for a goal on his 300th Premier League appearance.
Spurs had the opportunity to cut the gap to the top four after Aston Villa’s defeat to Brighton, but they remain seven points off a Champions League spot.
Postecoglou’s side still have a game in hand over the Villans, though he was sure that Spurs would be able to put their recent poor run behind them.
Asked if Spurs had a confidence problem, Postecoglou told Sky Sports: "Maybe in the front third there is.
"It probably is a bit of a lack of confidence, but again, that's something the guys have to work through.
"You have to find a way to overcome that because, ultimately, if you don't put pressure on the opposition in the front third after you've worked your way up there, they're going to get comfortable with their position."
Spurs have won just one of their last nine Premier League away games, failing to win any of the last five.
Despite that run extending at Anfield, Postecoglou highlighted what he thought was an improvement on their recent performances.
He continued: "Obviously a hugely disappointing outcome for us but at least we were more like ourselves today in terms of our football.
"Our last two away games at Newcastle and Chelsea, apart from the results which weren't great either, we just didn't try and play our football.
"I thought today, even in the first half, some of our football, our pressing was back to where it should be."
Roma 1-1 Juventus: Juve miss chance to close gap to second after draw with Roma
Juventus were held to a 1-1 draw at Roma on Sunday, missing the chance to close in on Milan in second place in Serie A.
Roma took the lead after 15 minutes when Romelu Lukaku found himself in the perfect position to tap in the rebound from a Bryan Cristante shot.
Bremer levelled with a header for Juventus just after the half-hour mark when Federico Chiesa picked him out inside the box from a corner.
Both sides had chances to find a winner in the final minutes, with Roma keeper Mile Svilar making a fingertip save to push Manuel Locatelli's volley over the bar.
Third-placed Juventus have 66 points, five fewer than Milan, who drew 3-3 with Genoa earlier on Sunday. Roma are fifth with 60 points.
Data Debrief: Leading from the back
Since scoring his first Serie A goal in the 2019-20 season, Bremer is the defender with the most headed goals in the Big-5 European leagues, netting 13 in total. Each of his last seven goals have been headers.
His goal was enough to earn Juventus a point today, but it means that they have drawn each of their last four in the competition - a first since February-March 2012 under Antonio Conte.
Chelsea 8-0 Bristol City: Blues rout hands Hayes perfect home send off
Guro Reiten starred as Chelsea thrashed already-relegated Bristol City 8-0 to keep their title hopes alive in the Women's Super League on Sunday.
The Norwegian scored four goals, netting the opener from the penalty spot to get Emma Hayes' last home game in charge off to the best start.
She scored the other three in the second half in just over 20 minutes, while teeing up Agnes Beever-Jones for the seventh goal with just two minutes left.
Beever-Jones got two, with Sjoeke Nusken and Niamh Charles also adding to the scoreline to eradicate the goal-difference advantage that Manchester City, who lost to Arsenal earlier on Sunday, had over them.
Chelsea move to within three points of the Citizens, with a game in hand over them, remaining in the fight to lift their fifth-consecutive league title.
Data Debrief:
Chelsea have scored eight goals in a game for the first time since December 2022 against Leicester City, a match they also won 8-0.
The Blues have scored in their last six games in the WSL, though it does not come close to their longest run of games with a goal in the competition - a run of 20 from April 2023 to February 2024.
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