Simeone seeks to end Mourinho hoodoo as Mbappe closes in on 500th goal contribution

Real Madrid will look to keep the pressure on Barcelona at the top of La Liga when they face city rivals Atletico de Madrid on Sunday.

The derby, which takes place in the seventh round of the 2026-27 Spanish league season, presents Atletico manager Diego Simeone with an opportunity to improve his record against Jose Mourinho, who is next on the list of coaches to have beaten him most often in La Liga.

Simeone has lost all three of his league meetings with Mourinho, while his only worse record is against Xavi Hernandez, having suffered five defeats in five games.

According to Opta, Atletico lost their most recent La Liga meeting with Real Madrid, going down 3-2 in March. Before that, they had avoided defeat in six successive league derbies, winning two and drawing four.

Atletico have suffered consecutive La Liga defeats by Real Madrid under Simeone on only two occasions. They lost three in a row in 2013 and two successive matches in 2020.

Real Madrid have lost three of their past five away league games against Atletico, alongside one win and one draw. That run followed a period in which Real lost only once in 20 previous visits to Atletico’s home ground, recording 12 victories and seven draws.

The reigning side have won their past two meetings with Atletico in all competitions, but have not managed at least three consecutive victories over their rivals since 2013. They won 10 in a row that year, with two victories under Manuel Pellegrini and eight under Mourinho.

Atletico, meanwhile, are on the longest winning run in their history in home derbies against Madrid-based opponents, having claimed six successive victories.

Real Madrid have taken points in eight of their past nine away derbies, winning four, drawing four and losing once.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side have collected more points than any other team in La Liga this season from goals scored from the 85th minute onwards, taking four points in that manner. Atletico are the only team to have conceded all six of their league goals in the second half, with those goals coming across six matches.

Vinicius Junior made only two goal contributions in his first nine La Liga appearances against Atletico, providing two assists. However, he has been directly involved in four goals across his past four league meetings with them, scoring twice and assisting twice.

Jonathan David has scored in each of his first two La Liga matches for Atletico. Another goal would make him the first player in the 21st century to score in each of his opening three league appearances for the club.

Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe is also one goal contribution away from reaching 500 at club level. He currently has 499, comprising 377 goals and 122 assists, and will reach the landmark if he scores or creates a goal in the derby.