Rivals Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid kick off their season with an European clash on Wednesday as they meet at A. Le Coq Arena in Tallinn for the UEFA Super Cup. This will be the 220th episode of the Madrid Derby, a confrontation that Real Madrid has won 109 times while Atletico have tasted victory over their rivals on just 55 occasions. The two sides have met nine times in European competitions and Real Madrid have won five of those matches. Last season's two derby matches in LaLiga ended with draws, 0-0 at Wanda Metropolitano Stadium and 1-1 at Santiago Bernabeu.
For Real Madrid Wednesday's match is the start of a new era, they kick off the season with a new head coach and without their biggest star of last decade, Cristiano Ronaldo. Former Spain boss Julen Lopetegui has replaced Zinedine Zidane as head coach, but Cristiano Ronaldo's departure to Juventus Torino was not followed by the signing of another superstar. The Blancos have won their last three friendly matches this summer, but Wednesday's match will be their first real test ahead of the start of the season in LaLiga. Luka Modric has just returned from his holiday after the World Cup and he might not be rushed into action here, while Alvaro Odriozola and Jesus Vallejo are both injured and unlikely to feature in this match.
Atletico Madrid are stronger than last season, at least on paper. They have managed to hold on to their star player, Antoine Griezmann, who is now at a whole new level of confidence after having won the World Cup, and they have signed rising star Thomas Lemar from AS Monaco. Last but not least, head coach Diego Simeone remains in charge, determined as ever to bring glory to the club. Atletico Madrid have won just one of their five friendly matches this summer, but those results are misleading since several young players were used. Simeone doesn't have any injury concerns ahead of this match.
Probable line-ups:
Real Madrid: Navas - Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Marcelo - Casemiro, Kroos - Bale, Isco, Asensio - Benzema
Atletico: Oblak - Juanfran, Gimenez, Godin, Luis - Koke, Partey, Niguez, Lemar - Griezmann, Costa
My prediction: 1-1 draw after 90 minutes, it should be a hard-fought match with not much to separate the two sides.
Here are the odds for the match at Bet365:
Real Madrid win - 2.50
Draw - 3.20
Atletico win - 3.00
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