Atlético Madrid v Real Madrid: La Liga Predictions, Best Bets and Odds

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Atlético Madrid are currently in outstanding form. Diego Simeone's men have picked up 13 points from a possible 18 and are on a run of emphatic wins after beating Real Sociedad and thrashing Osasuna 4-0 at home.

Los Colchoneros have turned the Metropolitano into a fortress, winning three of their last four fixtures on home soil without conceding a goal.

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Often most effective after the interval, Atléti have scored 10 of their 14 league goals in the second half. It's also worth noting the fine form of loanee striker Jonathan David, who has registered three direct goal involvements in his most recent two appearances and been on the winning side in each of the last 11 matches he's scored in.

Despite doubts over knocks to Julián Alvarez and Pablo Barrios, the hosts are confident of securing a statement victory in front of their own fans.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid head into this one with a two-point cushion over their fierce cross-city foes, thanks to a record of five wins in six outings. José Mourinho faces the first Madrid derby of his second spell in the Spanish capital, hoping to further enhance his outstanding record (8W/1L) against Atléti.

However, Real Madrid's form has left a lot to be desired. Los Blancos have only won four of their last nine away games, with Tuesday's fortunate 3-2 victory over Elche evidencing these struggles.  

All eyes will be on Kylian Mbappé, who is looking for his first win at the Metropolitano after netting eight goals in his opening seven appearances of the season. Only one of these goals was scored at an opposing venue, although that did come against Elche in midweek.  

Atlético Madrid v Real Madrid (15:15 BST) – Predictions

Over 9.5 Corners: 4/6 (bet365)

Both Teams to Score (BTTS) and Over 3.5 Goals: 5/4 (bet365)

Jan Oblak 3+ Saves and Thibaut Courtois 3+ Saves: 20/21 (bet365)

Odds courtesy of bet365. Correct at the time of publication and subject to change.

Corners count

The attacking style of both teams guarantees a constant flow of action near the bylines. It's therefore unsurprising that Real Madrid have taken a whopping 47 corners throughout their opening six matches (an average of 7.83 per game), while Atléti have been awarded 32 corners (5.33 per match) so far. 

Furthermore, Sunday's hosts have received more corners than their opponents in 11 of their last 13 league outings at the Metropolitano. 

Across the last five Madrid derbies, there has been an average of 10.3 corners per match. In a high-intensity tactical battle where wide players are asked to motor between defensive and attacking thirds, we expect the corner count to at least match this recent trend. At odds of X/X, a bet on more than nine corners offers plenty of potential value. 

Prediction: Over 9.5 Corners: 4/6 (bet365)

Explanation: This bet lands if a total of ten or more corners are awarded during the match. 

Attacking power at both ends

The stats suggest that both teams will create a decent number of chances on Sunday afternoon. Real Madrid boast an impressive average of 2.8 goals scored per game (17 in 6 matches), while their opening three away trips produced as many as nine goals.

Having scored five and conceded four on the road, Mourinho's men don't look as resilient in the back when playing away from home. 

Meanwhile, Atléti have averaged 2.3 goals per game (14 in 6 matches), a statistic aided by eight goals in their three home matches. 

The Madrid derby usually provides plenty of attacking action. Both teams have scored in nine of the last ten meetings between these local rivals, including last season's seven-goal thriller at the Metropolitano.

With Mbappé in red-hot goalscoring form and the presence of Atléti's dynamic attack, we expect both teams to contribute to a high-scoring encounter. 

Both Teams to Score (BTTS) and Over 3.5 Goals: 5/4 (bet365)

Explanation: This bet will land if both teams score at least once and the match produces four or more goals (examples of winning scorelines: 2-2, 3-1, 2-3 etc.)

Potential goalkeeping heroics

Both defences concede a high volume of chances when put under significant pressure.

Real Madrid have had more shots on target than any other team in the Spanish top-flight, firing 50 accurate attempts at goal. Atléti are not far behind with 36 shots on target, so both goalkeepers are in for a busy afternoon between the sticks. 

In the league this season, Thibaut Courtois is averaging 2.67 saves per game while Jan Oblak blocks an average of 2.33 shots every 90 minutes. In the most recent Madrid derby, both Courtois and Oblak registered five saves apiece. 

Therefore, backing both goalkeepers to make at least three saves on Sunday afternoon seems like a sensible bet. 

Prediction: Jan Oblak 3+ Saves and Thibaut Courtois 3+ Saves: 20/21 (bet365) 

Explanation: This bet lands if both Jan Oblak and Thibaut Courtois make three or more saves during the match.

Atlético Madrid v Real Madrid – Match Result odds

Atlético Madrid: 13/5 (bet365)

Draw: 14/5 (bet365)

Real Madrid: 19/20 (bet365)

Odds correct at the time of publication, subject to change.