Here, we look at some key talking points ahead of the game.

Can Real make possession count?

At home to Real Sociedad on Tuesday night, Atletico sat back, soaked up pressure and saw the visitors control nearly 70 per cent of possession.

Just like they wanted. Diego Simeone is a rare contemporary example of a manager who has no interest in attempting to command possession of the ball, and he is sure to send out his team in a deep-lying strategy, relying on the pace of Antoine Griezmann and Yannick Carrasco to wreak havoc on the break if Real over-commit. Madrid, therefore, must play with patience and balance rather than attempting to force the issue.

Atletico’s attacking width

In several recent derbies, Atletico have enjoyed great success by taking advantage of the lack of defensive support given to Real full-backs Marcelo and Dani Carvajal and launching their attacks down the wings.

That was particularly the case in their 4-0 win two years ago, when all four goals came from crosses. Full-backs Juanfran and Filipe Luis are masters at making well-timed runs to provide attacking width, and they can also both produce excellent deliveries into the box. Madrid cannot afford for them to become significant factors in the game and must ensure they are tracked whenever they come forward.

Set-piece strategy

Real have scored more goals directly from corners than any other La Liga team this season (nine) and Sergio Ramos’s set-piece heroics are already legendary – in no small part due to his injury time goal in the 2014 Champions League final against Atletico.

The ‘Kroos to Ramos’ equation has bailed out Real time and again, and stopping them is easier said than done.

At the other end of the field, Atletico are also very dangerous from free-kicks and corners, with assistant coach Mono Burgos everinventive in his set-piece planning, so don’t be surprised if Diego Godin manages to out-Ramos Ramos.

The midfield battleground

The battle between Real enforcer Casemiro and visiting skipper Gabi is not one for the feint-hearted, and the identity of the winner will go a long way towards deciding which team controls the flow of the game.

With Luka Modric and Toni Kroos on one side, and Koke and Saul Niguez on the other, both teams possess gifted ball players in midfield.

Minimising their influence to cut out the supply lines to the forwards will be crucial, and Real’s trio will certainly have to work tirelessly to overcome an Atletico midfield which is perhaps the most combative in the world.

Zidane’s dynamite bench

Real’s scintillating opening burst at Leganes on Wednesday hammered home the message that Zidane is blessed with more backup attacking options than he knows what to do with.

Young winger Marco Asensio, for instance, was the star of the show, but probably won’t even make the squad today. With outstanding players like James Rodriguez,

Isco, Alvaro Morata and Lucas Vazquez all likely to be on the bench, Zidane’s use of his substitutes could be crucial.

The ‘BBC’ of Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo are no longer untouchable, and Zidane’s matchwinner may well have a different identity.