Santiago Bernabeu plays host to a 4-4-2 battle this afternoon as Real Madrid recall Gareth Bale for the Derbi against Atletico Madrid.

Bale partners Cristiano Ronaldo up top, in one of four changes made by Zinedine Zidane, who also brings in Mateo Kovacic, Lucas Vazquez and Marco Asensio at the expense of Karim Benzema, Casemiro, Luka Modric and Isco.

Dani Ceballos is dropped again, while injuries to Jesus Vallejo and Nacho Fernandez leave Madrid light in defence, but Raphael Varane makes the cut, despite fears that the stopper picked up a muscle strain in his right leg against Juventus midweek.

Atleti, on the other hand, are without Josema Gimenez and Filipe Luis, so Lucas Hernandez stays on at left-back and B-team defender Antonio Montoro is promoted to the bench.

The match will be officiated by Catalan referee Xavier Estrada Fernandez, who oversaw Real’s 4-0 win against Alaves and the same margin of victory for Atleti over Leganes, both in February.

Los Blancos’ last win in a League Derbi at the Santiago Bernabeu came in December 2012, when goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Mesut Ozil gave them a 2-0 victory.

However, both sides could only register a goalless draw when they last met at the Wanda Metropolitano back in November.

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Real Madrid: Keylor; Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Marcelo; Vazquez, Kovacic, Kroos, Asensio; Bale, Ronaldo

Subs: Benzema, Modric, Casilla, Casemiro, Theo, Marcos Llorente, Isco

Atletico Madrid: Oblak; Juanfran, Savic, Godin, Lucas Hernandez; Vitolo, Thomas, Saul, Koke; Griezmann, Costa

Subs: Fernando Torres, Correa, Gabi, Vrsaljko, Gameiro, Werner, Montoro

Referee: Estrada Fernandez

La Liga - Club News