Atlético and Real Madrid play out goalless draw at the Wanda

Thank you for your company here this evening. Hope to see you again very soon...

Both sides will more than likely head home pleased with a point. Clear chances were in short supply but we saw a fighting spirit across the two Madrid groups, snuffing out their opposite numbers.

The single point moves Real Madrid top of the table on their own, while Atleti step into third, a point ahead of Barcelona. La Real have a chance to overtake the leaders when they play in Sevilla on Sunday night.

FULL-TIME

Peep, peep, peeeeeeep. The game ends and the spoils are shared.

There's just enough time for Partey to go into the book for another late challenge. And that could be the last action of the game.

Sergio Ramos joins the Madrid attack and as he heads a cross back into the danger area, the ref blows for a foul against him. As you can imagine, Los Blancos' captain wasn't in complete agreement with the decision.

Nice play from Lemar, results in a corner won off Carvajal. The delivery is to the back post where Costa just beats Nacho to the header but it bounces up high and Courtois collects.

Three minutes to be added.

And that's it for Benzema. Jovic on for the final few minutes.

Madrid go long, their French forward asked to chase as the ball bounces harmlessly through to Oblak.

After winning the ball back well in midfield, Benzema is released into the right channel and wins a corner for his team.

Kroos whips one in but, as has been the story of the game, a defensive header meets it first.

Koke does well to nip in at the front post but can't angle his clipped effort goalwards. The home side have more control of the game at the moment with Madrid happy to work on the counter.

Lofted cross from Modric is easy pickings for the Atleti keeper who takes a few steps out and catches. Signs of desperation starting to show.

That Oblak save

Screams for a penalty ring around the Wanda as Ramos nudges Correa in the area. Nothing much in it to be honest.

Our onsite former ref Iturralde agrees.

That's the end of the derby for Hazard. Zidane gives James a chance to make the difference.

SAVE | Oblak throws out his left hand to deny Benzema a great headed opener.

Lovely cross from Nacho, met really well by the French striker.

That Félix sub was met with whistles from the locals. Robbie Dunne reminds us of this...

CHANCE | Saúl meets Koke's corner, glancing it just over Courtois' frame. Very close.

CHANCE | Modric immediately involved and gets a snap shot inside the area. He doesn't catch it cleanly, though, and pulls it across and wide of Oblak's goal.

Simeone makes his third change: Félix has had his chance to shine, now former-Madrid player Llorente has his turn.

Varane rightly goes into the book for what looked like a nasty hack.

Luka Modric is on for Valverde

A Kroos short corner allows Hazard some time and space to excite. He, not for the first time, looks short of inspiration (or confidence) and the moment is gone. Some changes coming up.

Yet another Trippier cross gets the crowd excited. Again it's well dealt with by a Madrid head, this time the leaping Varane.

Casemiro takes a decent run up and hits the dead ball hard. Very hard. (As those sitting high in the stand will testify to!)

Partey comes through late on Kroos and the German is not happy about it. He now has a free-kick about 35 yards out to make him pay...

Lodi heads off, as Thomas Lemar comes on to try and be a local hero.

Lodi, Koke and Partey knock the ball around the middle of the park, waiting for an opening. That comes from Correa but, just as danger lurks, the whites shirts step in and take the ball away.

Looks like that may be Lodi's last action.

CHANCE | The Welshman, this time, in a much better position to pester Oblak. Nacho rolls the ball across the Leti penalty area and Bale steps onto it, just needing a neatly placed effort into the far post. He adds an extra factor of power to the shot, which in turn adds to its inaccuracy.

He's very disappointed.

Bale decides that a new approach is required, as getting in behind Simeone's defence is proving a challenge. He takes a ping from some distance, but fails to bother Oblak.

Benzema looks menacing as he charges, ball at feet, towards a crowd of rojiblanco defenders on the edge of their area. The crowd wins.

Atleti immediately go long but Ramos is there to cover and calm things down.

CHANCE | Correa gets on the end of a good cross but sends it high over Courtois' bar. Then Trippier is able to keep the pressure on but the guests do well to clear. The game immediately feels a little more open.

I should have mentioned that Angel Correa came on for the second half in the first change of the game. Vitolo making way.

Free-kick for Atleti, Varane unable to deal with Félix' quick feet so chops him down. No card.

Bale with some quick thinking sends Carvajal away with a throw-in. The Spaniard almost escapes but is blocked off.

Los Blancos get the ball rolling.

The players are back out. Let's get El Derbi back on

Remember this guy? What a striker he was for Atleti.

This Atlético midfielder has had an industrious half

I did mention earlier that we were unlikely to get a goal-fest, and that's exactly what we've seen. Lots of bluster, occasional moments of tidy play, and a handful of decent chances.

HALF-TIME

The whistle blows and the players head in for their team talks. A number of Atlético's men having an unhappy word with the referee as they leave the field, Costa included.

We'll have one more minute of this frantic stuff.

CHANCE | Trippier is found once again, timing his run to perfection, down the right wing. The former Spurs man puts in a great ball, but a strong hand from Madrid's number one prevents it from reaching its red and white Koke target.

CHANCE | Toni Kroos responds to the previous effort from Félix, showing superb technique to strike a bouncing ball across him. Oblak throws himself to his left and tips the effort round the post.

CHANCE | Félix latches onto a loose ball on the edge of the Madrid area and then watches as his strike flies wide of Courtois' post.

Hazard on the left side of the opposition penalty box, facing up two defenders. He appears to run out of ideas, turning back on himself twice before hitting a blind, hopeful cross. Blocked for a corner, and nothing comes of that.

With ten minutes till the break, it's hard to say who's going to make the breakthrough. The game is going back and forth, but defences - especially that of the home side - are working desperately hard to snuff out any chances.

Vitolo now breaks into the space that Trippier has been making his own. An extra, and unneccessary, touch gives Nacho the chance to cover and block the cross. 

Benzema in front of Oblak's goal is up for a header but he's well beaten by the covering Savic.

CHANCE | Trippier does well to win a corner, and then from that Partey puts a deliciously-tempting ball across the six-yard area. It squeezes between Courtois and a sliding Costa, with the striker taking out Nacho in the process.

A couple of averagely-delivered corners from Kroos are cleared away. The flow of the game, ever so slightly has been favouring Los Blancos, although...

Hazard shows the danger he possesses for the first time in the game, bursting past the covering defender. His ball across goal is dealt with and then the follow-up shot nothing worth a mention.

Nacho first into the ref's book. A card to match his new highlights, as he clatters into Trippier.

Lots of huff and puff in the middle of the park. Then Bale gets a chance to cross again and, just as a few minutes before, chooses a low, slightly cut back option. Cleared well again.

Simeone style

After a very positive start from the hosts, the last few minutes have been more even. Just as I say that, Bale charges into the Atleti area and meets a nice cross from Nacho on the left. Under pressure the Welshman heads over.

Nice little tussle between Hazard and Félix, the latter tugging too much and the ref was having none of that.

Big diagonal from the left tries to feed Trippier into the gaping green space in front of him. Unfortunately for the home fans the English full-back had just strayed ahead of the last defender.

Bale gets his first real involvement.

Collecting the ball on the right, he turns on the after-burners to escape his two markers. A decent cross almost reaches the waiting Benzema but it's cut out and cleared.

White shirts surround tonight's man in black, Jose Luis Gonzalez, after Trippier has a hand on Hazard who was looking to burst free. They didn't get much response from the official.

CHANCE | Félix is set scampering free in behind the white defence. He uses his head well to push the ball into his path to goal but then drags a right-footed effort wide of the far post.

Pop that in the should-have-done-better basket.

Nothing comes from the free-kick given and now a little more possession for Madrid. They've started very slowly.

Real Madrid get their first passage of play, but then do absolutely nothing with it and Atleti get to break.

The ball forward aims to release Félix but Ramos puts an arm into his chest and floors him. Before the Portuguese youngster hits the deck, the visiting captain is calling for him to get to his feet. Crowd whistles.

Trippier stands over it and then drifts the ball onto the crowd of waiting players. Offside flag is up.

More attacking from the home side, the ball being whipped into Madrid's area from the right and Ramos heading clear.

Another chance for them here as a free-kick is awarded wide on the left.

Atleti immediately go for the direct approach as Trippier hits a curling ball into the right channel. It's far too long, though, and Courtois gathers.

Peeeep. Let's go!

It's a quick switch around of sides, and the hosts will be kicking off. Hold onto your hats, whatever colour they are...

OK, the teams are out onto the field of play. The managers shake hands. The crowd make a lot of noise. And Ramos and Koke head into the centre of the pitch for a quick chat.

For those of you who like a little more historical background...

273 derbies. Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid have faced each other 273 times in official games (164 in LaLiga, 42 in the Copa del Rey, four in the league cup, two in the Spanish Super Cup, 51 in regional championships, nine in the European Cup and one in the European Super Cup).

It is the most repeated battle in professional Spanish football ahead of the Barcelona derby (261 times).

Real Madrid have won 139 of those games wih 65 draws and 69 losses. In total, there have been 816 goals, 468 for Real Madrid and 348 for Atlético. 

Despite some tasty attacking talent in both these sides, don't be expecting a high scoring game. In the last five of these derbies, we've not seen more than two goals.

Atleti have proved themselves tough to beat at home and have actually won eight of their last ten at the Wanda. Somewhat of a fortress Simeone has created.

That's enough warming up for Los Blancos. With a quarter of an hour till KO, Zidane calls his players back inside for final words of advice.

Another important result has just come in. Promoted side Granada beat Leganés by a goal to nil, and that puts the Andalusians top. Yes, TOP!

In case you missed it, the current LaLiga champions Barcelona picked up another three points this afternoon. Here's how Valverde's trroops were scored

As you'll know (read this if not) FIFA 20 was all the rage yesterday, With this in mind, LaLiga's social media team announced tonight's XIs in this way.

Note only three players across the 22 under an overall score of 80.

With just over 30 minutes until kick off, the stadium is filling up nicely. The Madrid players are out on the turf warming up, head to toe in white.

Two players that will have many eyes fixated on this evening are João Félix and Eden Hazard. Swift of feet and full of tricks, the two attackers have a chance tonight to show why such big investments were made for them in the summer.

Here's a little piece discussing the pair: Madrid derby in the hands of Eden Hazard and Joao Felix

Our Spanish colleagues are asking their followers who will rule in Madrid tonight under a cloud of confetti. I'll keep an eye on the results of that poll.

One player that will not be getting a warm welcome at the Wanda tonight is Madrid goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois. At first glance, it may appear like the rojiblanco fans have left some cuddly toys in memory of their former stopper, but upon closer inspection...

So, what are your thoughts on those line-ups? (That's partly rhetorical but feel free to comment in the section provided)

Simeone has set up Atleti pretty much as we expected, although it will be interesting to see how they form early on.

Many thought Zidane would continue with James in the midfield, with Modric potentially being fit enough to start. In the end, Valverde was the Frenchman's pick, and that doesn't come as a huge surprise. ZZ's a clear fan of the Uruguayan 21-year old.

Real Madrid XI: Courtois; Carvajal, Ramos, Varane, Nacho; Kroos, Casemiro, Fede Valverde; Bale, Benzema, Hazard

Atlético Madrid XI: Oblak, Trippier, Savic, Giménez, Lodi, Koke, Saúl, Thomas, Vitolo, Joao Félix, Diego Costa.

And we have team news coming your way...

They're ready...

Local bragging rights aside, tonight is all about topping LaLiga. Real Madrid arrive as the league leaders going into the weekend fixtures, but Atleti lie just a point behind. A win for either side would see daylight appear between them, although Real Sociedad may also have something to add tomorrow night.

The Wanda Metropolitano hosted the Champions League final just a few months ago, and most would agree that tonight will be the biggest clash here since Liverpool overcame Spurs to lift Ol' Big Ears.

Both Madrid clubs have played a huge part in the final stages of club football's biggest tournament over the last decade, and will be hoping to be involved in the business end once again this season. That, of course, will be far from their minds as they head into this match.

Hello and a very warm welcome to our live feed of the highly anticipated Madrid derby which kicks off at 21:00 CEST. You join me on a very pleasant September evening in the Spanish capital where the conditions couldn't be better for a thrilling match.

Will it live up to its billing? We're not far away from finding out...