BARCELONA: Only six weeks into La Liga and Atletico Madrid already faces what seems to be a must-win derby when it hosts Real Madrid on Saturday.
Despite revamping a significant part of the squad this summer, Atletico is off to its worst start – two wins in six matches – since coach Diego Simeone took over more than a decade ago. They take on their top rival well behind in the standings: Real Madrid leads the league and Atletico Madrid is eighth, nine points adrift.
Key matchups
Madrid is the only team to have won all six rounds. That run has been fueled by the prolific Kylian Mbappe.
The France striker has seven goals, three more than the next best scorer, and has failed to find the net only in one game. He scored twice on Tuesday, a 4-1 victory over Levante.
Atletico’s poor form comes after a busy summer in which it bought the likes of Villarreal playmaker Álex Baena, United States midfielder Johnny Cardoso, and defenders David Hancko and Matteo Ruggeri. Injuries to Baena and Cardoso, among others, have not helped Simeone.
It will be Xabi Alonso’s first Spanish capital derby as Madrid’s coach after he spent 2009-14 playing for the club.
Second-placed Barcelona hosts Real Sociedad on Sunday, a day after third-placed Villarreal welcomes Athletic Bilbao. Fourth-placed Espanyol visits Girona, which is winless at the bottom of the table, on Friday.
Players to watch
Atletico’s fortunes may hinge on Argentina forward Julian Alvarez, who is coming off a hat trick to help beat Rayo Vallecano 3-2 on Wednesday. That was his first treble since moving to Europe in 2022.
Madrid’s Vinicius Junior will be in the spotlight both for the reactions of Atletico’s fans, some of whom have subjected him among the worst racial abuse he has experienced, and because of speculation regarding his long-term future with the club.
Once a set starter under former coach Carlo Ancelotti, Vinicius has seen his playing time reduced by Alonso. That comes amid media reports that his talks with Madrid about renewing his contract set to expire in June 2027 have broken down.
Atletico will also recover striker Alexander Sorloth, who often plays as a substitute, after his one-game suspension.
Out of action
Madrid will be without injured defenders Trent Alexander-Arnold, Antonio Rudiger and Ferland Mendy.
Atletico will likely be without midfielder Thiago Almada and defender Jose Maria Gimenez due to injuries. Cardoso has missed three games with an ankle problem.
Mbappe is on a scoring run for Madrid before visiting Atletico in the capital derby
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Mbappe is on a scoring run for Madrid before visiting Atletico in the capital derby
- The France striker has seven goals, three more than the next best scorer, and has failed to find the net only in one game
Gulf Giants start DP World ILT20 Season 4 with 6-wicket victory over MI Emirates
- Nissanka’s 81 and Omarzai’s all-round display trump Pollard’s half-century
DUBAI: The Gulf Giants began their DP World ILT20 Season 4 campaign with a clinical six-wicket victory against the MI Emirates on Thursday.
A swashbuckling knock of 81 runs in 42 balls from Pathum Nissanka and an all-round performance from Azmatullah Omarzai proved decisive for the Giants, who broke a six-match losing streak at the Dubai International Stadium
Apart from a 78-run partnership between Nicholas Pooran (46 off 39) and half-centurion Kieron Pollard (50 off 33), the Giants were potent with the ball. Omarzai and Nuwan Thushara led with two-wicket hauls each while, in contrast, four out of five bowlers for the MI Emirates conceded at more than 10 runs an over.
In the second innings, Chris Woakes gave the Giants an early jolt with the wickets of Rahmanullah Gurbaz (6 off 3) and Gerhard Erasmus (1 off 5). Pathum Nissanka and Moeen Ali (26 off 21) steadied the ship, taking the Giants to 67 until Moeen Ali was run out.
Opening the innings, Nissanka scored briskly after a watchful start. He crossed the 50-run mark in 30 balls on the back of three fours and two sixes.
Soon after, Omarzai (39* off 16) tore into Rashid Khan, hammering a four and three sixes in a devastating 23-run over that seized control for the Giants. Nissanka extended the damage with three boundaries and a six off Chris Woakes before his dismissal in the 15th over.
Omarzai remained unbeaten as the Giants reached their target in 14.4 overs.
Asked to bat first, MI Emirates limped to 36/3 inside the powerplay courtesy of the Giants’ pace attack. Nuwan Thushara snapped up Mohammed Waseem (1 off 2) and Jonny Bairstow (11 off 13) with both batters caught and bowled. Meanwhile, Azmatullah Omarzai cleaned up Tom Banton (6 off 8) in the third over.
Runs were hard to come by as Nicholas Pooran and Tajinder Singh (15 off 19) looked to rebuild. The pair put up a stand of 27 runs before Moeen Ali outfoxed Tajinder to leave the MI Emirates at 58/4 in 10 overs.
The innings needed impetus, and Pollard provided it in the 13th over, launching three consecutive sixes off Tabraiz Shamsi. Pooran joined the assault with a 14-run plunder off Haider Razzaq, as the duo raced to a 50-run partnership in just 36 balls. In a bid to hit his third six of the night, Pooran fell to Razzaq in the 18th over to make it 141/5.
Kieron Pollard was dismissed in the final over by Omarzai. But Romario Shepherd (18* off 6) and Rashid Khan (6* off 1) did well to help the MI Emirates post 163/6.
On the Gulf Giants’ victory, stand-in captain, Moeen Ali said: “It’s a great performance. The toss was huge. We bowled very well in the first 10 overs. They have three players who can take it away, and we held them back nicely, and then Nissanka and Omarzai were incredible. Nissanka is a brilliant player. He is one of the best in the world. He is very calm, doesn’t say much, but packs a punch. Omarzai gave us the momentum to finish the game by taking on Rashid Khan.”
MI Emirates captain Kieron Pollard said: “Losing three wickets in the powerplay, and having to rebuild, we were short in the first innings. The ball was moving around quite a bit in the first 10 overs, and we couldn’t finish it off as well as we wanted. We just need to be better in terms of execution.”
