Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid : Five Things to Watch For
By Vijay Vemu
4. Can Real Madrid deal with Atletico’s style of play?
It’s no secret that Atletico Madrid are one of the most intense and physical teams in Europe. Simeone’s team is not afraid to make the hard tackles and make life uncomfortable for the opponent. They aren’t afraid to get carded in games as well. Atletico Madrid have been yellow carded 66 times in La Liga this season, with 53 of them coming for tackles.
There is no doubt that if Ronaldo is running on goal, an Atletico Madrid player will take a card if it means stopping him by taking him down. This was evident last year against Barcelona in the Copa Del Rey when Madrid roughed up the Catalans, especially Neymar. However it backfired on them as they lost their cool (two red cards in the second leg) and lost the tie.
Real Madrid haven’t always adapted to the style well as their style is the complete opposite of Atletico. It’s more about flair than toughness for Real Madrid. When playing Atletico Madrid, they sometimes seem out of place and don’t seem ready for the style. It was evident in their 1-1 draw earlier this season and Atletico’s win last year where they crushed Real Madrid. Sometimes toughness beats out flair.
Next: 3. Real Madrid's attack