Real Madrid face Atletico Madrid in decisive La Liga derby

Real Madrid will visit Atletico Madrid on Sunday, 20 September 2026, for a Madrid derby that could have an early impact on the La Liga title race.

The match, part of the seventh round of the 2026-2027 season, will be played at Riyadh Air Metropolitano, with both sides seeking an important result in the battle at the top of the table.

Real Madrid go into the fixture in second place with 15 points. Their priority will be to avoid dropping points and allowing leaders Barcelona to strengthen their position as the title contest intensifies from the opening stages of the campaign.

Atletico Madrid are fourth on 13 points and will be aiming to move above their city rivals with victory. The home side will also be looking to close the gap on the leading teams with a positive result in front of their supporters.

Match details and television coverage

The match will kick off at 17:15 Saudi Arabia time and 18:15 in the United Arab Emirates.

beIN SPORTS holds the broadcasting rights for La Liga matches during the 2026-2027 season. The derby will be shown on beIN SPORTS HD 1.

Viewers wishing to watch the game online can use the TOD TV application or beIN Connect.

Ali Said Al Kaabi has been appointed as commentator for beIN SPORTS’ coverage of the derby.

Expected line-ups

Atletico Madrid’s expected formation is 4-4-2, with Jan Oblak in goal.

The defence is expected to consist of Alex Grimaldo, Robin Le Normand, Cristian Romero and Marcos Llorente. Koke, Johnny Cardoso, Kang-in Lee and Alex Baena are listed in midfield, while Ademola Lookman and Jonathan David are expected to lead the attack.

Real Madrid are also expected to line up in a 4-4-2 formation, with Thibaut Courtois starting in goal.

Marc Cucurella, Dean Huijsen, Ibrahima Konate and Denzel Dumfries are named in defence. The midfield is set to include Aurelien Tchouameni, Arda Guler, Jude Bellingham and Federico Valverde, with Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe up front.

Real Madrid have historically held a clear advantage over Atletico Madrid in La Liga meetings. That superiority dates back to the first league match between the clubs, played in the 1928-29 season.