Real Madrid, the league's top footballer, will host arch-rival Atletico Madrid today in the Spanish capital Derby match, which may set the course for both teams this season.

The Real seeks to take advantage of the best position in the competition ranking, and is six points away from Barcelona, ​​who is hosting second place, who will host Levante tomorrow. The Royal is also looking to keep his neighbor Atlético from the race for the title. The Real also got a big boost in the return of his Belgian star, Eden Hazard, to the group training after a long absence that lasted for more than two months, which will increase the strength of the Real attack against Atletico reeling in this period.

Atletico are struggling with Argentine coach Diego Simeone in the recent period, as he ranks fifth with a difference of 10 points behind the riyal, but he understands that winning away from home will significantly boost his morale and push him forward as the team is going through its most difficult times.

On the other hand, Real Madrid, along with its French coach Zinedine Zidane, crowned the Spanish Super Cup at the expense of Atletico, in the tournament that was held in Saudi Arabia in early January, and despite the volatile start of the team with the start of the season, he managed to reach the top of the league arrangement now .

At the same time, Atlético suffers from the ineffectiveness of its players in front of the goal, and his suffering has multiplied after the absence of Portuguese star Joao Felix from the expected confrontation due to his leg injury.

Felix moved to Atletico from Benfica in a record deal that cost the Spanish capital team treasury 126 million euros ($ 139 million). Atlético scored 22 goals in 21 games, ranking fifth in the list of least-scoring league goals.

Atletico bid farewell to the King’s Cup of Spain in the round of 32, at the hands of the Colonial Leonessa team, and there was widespread news in the Spanish media that the current season may be the last of coach Simeone.

In Barcelona, ​​the coach of the team, Kiki Citin, is trying to cope with the pressure on him, after the defeat against Valencia last week, and his 13th-ranked guest, Levante, may become a good opportunity for the Catalan team to return to its usual performance.

Citicin, who wants his players to rely on the style of pressure and possession, said that some players find it difficult to understand what is required of them.

On the other hand, the King's Cup draw, which was withdrawn yesterday, revealed mixed confrontations in the quarter-finals, where Real Madrid hosts Sociedad, while Barcelona is a guest of Bilbao, and receives Granada Valencia, in return, Villarreal will be a guest of Mirandes.

- The Cup Draw, which withdrew yesterday, eliminated Real Madrid against Sociedad and Barcelona against Athletic Bilbao.