Atletico Madrid insist they will do all they can to stop the rot after two successive defeats and claim bragging rights against Real Madrid on Sunday.
Los Colchoneros followed up their 1-0 loss to Villarreal in La Liga with a 2-1 home reverse against Benfica in the Champions League, but three of the side's most prominent personnel believe the capital derby offers them welcome respite to get back into winning ways.
“We're saddened by the loss to Benfica. It's never nice to lose, and we've lost two straight games, but we've been through worse,” Diego Godin told AS.
“We're approaching [Sunday] with great enthusiasm, in the knowledge that it's a derby.
“No matter how we play, we must win. The team have proven that they have the capacity to succeed.
Angel Correa, who scored against Benfica, added: “We ask the fans to stay calm, that we're a team who go out to win every game and will do so against Real Madrid on Sunday.
Finally, Gabi gave a captain's rallying cry, concluding: “We're hurting, and it's a difficult situation for us, but we welcome [the derby] as always.
“We've played very well against them lately, especially at home, and hopefully that continues to be the case [on Sunday].”
