Key Points

Julian Alvarez's hat-trick on Wednesday at home to Rayo Vallecano saw Atletico come back for a late win, which keeps them nine points behind league leaders, Real Madrid, after Real won 4-1 away to Levante on Tuesday.

A win for Atletico would pull Diego Simeone's side to within six points of its neighbour, but defeat would leave them 12 points off the pace, and that would surely be too much ground to recover, even though the campaign is still in its early stages.

Real Madrid have a 100 percent record at the start of the season, while coach Xabi Alonso has virtually a full squad to choose from, with only Trent Alexander-Arnold in the treatment room.

For Atlético de Madrid, this derby comes at a pivotal moment. Simeone's men have endured a rocky start to the campaign, dropping too many points early. But nothing breathes life into Atleti's season like a derby win. A victory here wouldn't just hand them three points. It would close the gap on their city rivals, revive faint title hopes, and give them their first league win over Real Madrid in more than two years. The last triumph came back in Matchday 6 of the 2023/24 season, a 3-1 win at the Metropolitano.

First Madrid Derby for Xabi Alonso

This will be Xabi Alonso's first derby as Real Madrid coach. The Spaniard has already made a flying start, winning all six games so far to lead Los Blancos to the top of the table. But Simeone's Atlético will be his sternest test yet.

Alonso is no stranger to these high-octane fixtures, having played in 16 derbies as a Real Madrid midfielder. He won 12 of those, and even famously celebrated from the sidelines in the 2014 Champions League final while suspended. Now he gets to script his own derby chapter as coach.

Interestingly, Alonso has already clashed with Simeone on the touchline before. Back in 2022/23, his Bayer Leverkusen side drew 2-2 at the Metropolitano in the Champions League, and Atlético later beat them in another group clash. That history adds yet another subplot to Saturday's showdown.

Recent history hasn't favoured either side much, though. The last three league derbies have all finished 1-1, with late drama the recurring theme. Who can forget Ángel Correa's 95th-minute equaliser in last season's fiery contest at the Metropolitano?

FC Barcelona's players will be watching the Madrid derby closely, knowing that if Real Madrid drop points, they can go top with a win at home to Real Sociedad on Sunday.

Barca continue their nomadic season, leaving the 6,000 capacity Johan Cruyff Stadium to return to Montjuic as work continues on Camp Nou.

Lamine Yamal is again a doubt, while Gavi is sidelined for several months and Fermin Lopez is out for another couple of weeks, limiting Hansi Flick's options to rotate his squad ahead of next week's Champions League game at home to Paris Saint-Germain.

Among other matches, Villarreal are at home to Athletic Club Bilbao in what promises to be an entertaining tie with Villarreal as slight favourites. Athletic are struggling for form since the international break, and coach Ernesto Valverde isn't helped by the long-term losses of defenders Yeray Alvarez and Unai Eguiluz, while midfielder Benat Prados is out for the season with a torn knee ligament.

The good news for Athletic is that Spain international winger, Nico Williams, could return after injuring his groin while playing for Spain.

The weekend kicks off with Girona looking for their first win of the season at home to Espanyol. Girona defended well in Bilbao on Tuesday, but coach Michel Sanchez saw Donny Van de Beek suffer a tendon injury that has ended his season.

Getafe are at home to Levante in what promises to be a game of few chances, while Alaves visit a Mallorca side needing its first win of the season and with coach Jagoba Arrasate under increasing pressure after Wednesday's defeat to Real Sociedad.

The round of games ends on Monday with an impressive-looking Valencia at home to an Oviedo side finding life tough in La Liga after last season's return to the elite.

- IANS