Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone has said that his side will take on an "extraordinary team" on Sunday evening, with Real Madrid making the trip to Wanda Metropolitano.
Real Madrid have won all eight of their matches in three separate competitions this season, including their opening five in La Liga, which had left them top of the table before Barcelona beat Elche 3-0 on Saturday.
Los Blancos will enter the contest off the back of a 2-0 win over RB Leipzig in the Champions League during the week, but Atletico suffered a 2-0 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen in the same competition.
Simeone is aware of the size of the task facing the Red and Whites in the Madrid derby and has admitted that his side would have ideally entered the match off the back of a win.
"They have an extraordinary team with young players who are going through transition. They have a habit of always being close to winning, they have a great team. We have to play the game that we are interested in playing," the Argentine told reporters during his press conference.
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"I would have liked to arrive after a victory but looking at it from the positive side, the defeat creates tension.
"We are going to face a great team that has great footballers. For many years they have competed in these games like [Luka] Modric. And then there is a generation young with very good footballers for that transition. That's why they compete as they compete.
"I always think that in important games like the derby it is important to arrive because of confidence and security, but when the game starts it is a new story.
"For those of us who played or were coaches, we understand that everything was fine until the referee's whistle but then everything changes."
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Simeone confirmed during his pre-match press conference that Jan Oblak would be available for selection, with the goalkeeper overcoming the injury that forced him to sit out the games with Celta Vigo and Leverkusen.
However, the Atletico boss appeared to rule out central defenders Stefan Savic and Jose Gimenez, with the pair currently struggling with fitness issues.
"Last season cost us a lot. Savic and Gimenez were away for a long time, we hope this season doesn't happen, they all work to be with us as long as possible, they are very important and give us more tools for the game," Simeone told reporters.
Atletico have won three, drawn one and lost one of their opening five matches of the La Liga season to collect 10 points, which has left them in seventh position in the table ahead of the Madrid derby.
Matt Law
