Real Madrid arrive at the Metropolitano with the look of a side that has already been through the fire and come out sharper. That shock 1-0 defeat at Real Betis at the start of September could have rattled a lesser group, but Mourinho's men responded exactly how champions respond: a Champions League win over Inter Milan, then back-to-back league victories over Rayo Vallecano and Elche. Second in La Liga on 15 points, three behind Barcelona, and with the international break looming, this is a statement fixture. They are not just in form, they are in rhythm.

Atletico, by contrast, have been a puzzle at times. The brief points to Simeone shuffling between a back three and a 4-4-2, with the Osasuna win coming from a flat four and the Liverpool trip seeing a return to the three-man defence. That inconsistency in shape usually means inconsistency in performance. At the Metropolitano they are always a different animal, but the attacking burden has fallen heavily on Jonathan David and the supporting runners, and the loss of Alexander Sorloth to a muscle injury removes a genuine plan B. Momentum favours the visitors.