Sweet Revenge

The Santiago Bernabéu will play host to one of the most exciting games in the world of football - a real top-class Madrid derby, a duel between Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid which smacks of revenge. The game will in effect be almost a replay of the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final, the last time the Rojiblancos made it to a final.

But the last two derbies saw a reversal of roles. After years of disappointment, Atlético Madrid beat their biggest rival to win the Cup title at the Santiago Bernabéu. They finally got even, and how. Their winning streak continued at the next league fixture against Carlo Ancelotti's fledgling squad. Yet another tribute to coach 'Cholo' Simeone's work.

Atlético Madrid is the true test of Ancelotti's tactics. The Rojiblancos caught him totally off balance at a time when he was still putting his team together and attempting to define a style of play. Now, with greater experience and confidence in his squad, he is banking on a totally different type of game, on creating spaces in Atlético's solid defensive wall, on the speed of play, and on his secret weapons: Cristiano Ronaldo, Ángel Di María and Gareth Bale.

Armed with these elite marksmen, Real Madrid will be looking for revenge after their league defeat at the new San Mamés stadium put paid to a seamless winning streak in January which saw them win all eight games they played.