Matchday 10 - Featured Preview: Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid

In terms of intensity, significance and pure derby passion, Sunday night's clash between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu may be the closest thing that Jose Mourinho gets to a dress rehearsal before the Gran Clasico showdown with Barcelona later this month. Los Merengues are unbeaten under the "Special One" but Quique Sanchez Flores' side are one of a handful of clubs in Spain who have the quality to do Real serious damage even if the white giants are on top of their game.

REAL MADRID

Player to Watch: Cristiano Ronaldo

Real Madrid came away from the San Siro on Wednesday with a sense of relief after earning a late 2-2 draw but, in reality, they were the better team in Milan and should have beaten the Italian giants after cruising into the lead just before half time. A brief dip in concentration allowed veteran rossoneri striker Filippo Inzaghi to end Real's 100% run in the Champions League, but the important thing for Jose Mourinho is that his unbeaten record remains intact heading into Sunday's derby with Atletico Madrid. Real are WWDWD in their last five matches in all competitions and that translates to four straight wins in the league. They remain a point above Barcelona in 1st place and they have the recent memory of a 3-2 victory against the Colchoneros in the corresponding fixture last season to provide them with an encouraging antecedent.

Mourinho's team selection has been extremely consistent so far this season and it could be that we see the same eleven that faced Milan on Wednesday at the Bernabeu on Sunday. There will be changes in the squad because Jerzy Dudek became the latest injury casualty this week, confining the Polish keeper to the sidelines next to Kaka, Ezequiel Garay and Fernando Gago who, although training now, is some way off match sharpness. Antonio Adan and Isaac have both been called into the preliminary squad from the B team, but it is Adan who will make the final eighteen instead of Dudek. Lassana Diarra has been overlooked again despite his apparent fitness, which will fuel further speculation about an increasingly likely exit in January or June. Pepe was at fault for David Trezeguet's goal last weekend, forcing Real to come from a goal behind to beat Hercules 1-3, and again he failed to track Zlatan Ibrahimovic in midweek as he provided the first assist for Inzaghi. The Portuguese defender was substituted in both of those matches as Mourinho was characteristically damning with his changes. Any more mistakes like that could see Pepe forfeit his place to Raul Albiol, who is waiting for his chance to exploit any mistakes. Cristiano Ronaldo has eleven goals so far in the league and he will be the danger man for Atletico given his form but, with Gonzalo Higuain, Mesut Ozil and Angel di Maria completing the offensive force, the rojiblancos are well aware that a match-winning intervention could come from anywhere at any time.

Possible starting XI: (4-2-3-1) Iker Casillas; Marcelo, Ricardo Carvalho, Pepe, Sergio Ramos; Xabi Alonso, Sami Khedira; Angel di Maria, Mesut Ozil, Cristiano Ronaldo; Gonzalo Higuain;

ATLETICO MADRID

Player to Watch: Jose Antonio Reyes

After a brief scare at the start of their European campaign, Atletico Madrid are back on track in their bid to retain their Europa League title thanks to consecutive wins over Rosenberg. Quique Sanchez Flores' team are still second in the group behind Bayer Leverkusen but one win in either of their remaining two matches should see them through to the last 32. This weekend Atletico appear in the showpiece in La Liga as they visit Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu for arguably the most important city derby in Spain. Real lead the league classification at the moment, while the rojiblancos are below where they would expect to be in 6th. A shock win at the Bernabeu, however, could push them back up into the top four if results elsewhere go their way. Atletico are WLWDW in their last five matches in all competitions and they will be especially motivated for the derby, a fixture they lost 3-2 last season.

Although Diego Godin and Sergio Asenjo are still injured and Luis Perea is suspended, the good news for Quique heading into the weekend is that Jose Antonio Reyes, Diego Forlan and Alvaro Dominguez are all fit again and should start on Sunday. With Godin and Perea out, Juan Valera will probably come into the back four, maybe on the right as powerful Czech defender Tomas Ujfalusi steps over to partner Dominguez in the centre and Filipe Luis or Antonio Lopez start on the left. Filipe is starting to replicate the exceptional form he showed as captain of Deportivo La Coruna last season before injury struck and currently has the edge over Atletico club captain Lopez. For the first time since his first six months at Arsenal, Jose Reyes is back to his best form and he should start on the right against his former club after returning from injury; he has a bit of a point to prove as inconsistency meant that he was never taken into the hearts of the Real Madrid faithful. Simao, Tiago and Paolo Assuncao should complete the regular midfield four with Fran Merida, Ignacio Camacho, Raul Garcia and Mario Suarez offering back-up on the bench. Diego Costa has been the most consistent Atleti forward this year but, despite his fine form of late, reputation could play a part as Sergio Aguero and Diego Forlan are expected to resume their partnership at the head of the 4-4-2 formation. Both have the quality to harm Real's defence and they will have to be marshalled very carefully by Mourinho's back four.

Possible starting XI: (4-4-2) David de Gea; Filipe Luis, Alvaro Dominguez, Tomas Ujfalusi, Juan Valera; Simao, Tiago, Paolo Assuncao, Jose Antonio Reyes; Diego Forlan, Sergio Aguero;