The title race remains wide open after the top three's fixtures this weekend. Barça's 2-0 victory at Osasuna has taken Ronald Koeman's side to within three points of Atlético while Karim Benzema's late equalizer today has kept Madrid firmly in the hunt.

Two dates to clear the diary for:

April 11: Real Madrid vs Barcelona

May 9: Barcelona vs Atlético

Here's a look at the top of the table after that...

And that's it! The ref blows for full time and Real Madrid have kept themselves in the chase with a late equalizer in the Metropolitano!

Benzema tries to dance through the Atleti defence but the ball deflects harmlessly away from danger.

Simeone barking instructions on the touchline... Atleti will hang on now if they can.

Three minutes added...

Modric! What an effort! Atleti were expecting Kroos but the Croatian clips it with the outside of the boot and isn't far off from hitting the target!

Now Madrid have a free kick right on the edge of the area!

What an important strike that cold turn out to be in the 2020-21 title race!

The striker capitalizes on a lucky bounce in the area, which Casemiro tees up for the Frenchman to stroke home from close range!

Gooooooooooool! Benzema!

Atleti dropping back in numbers now. This will be a siege for the final five minutes... 

Straight out on the far side from Luis Suárez, the only heavy touch of the Uruguayan's afternoon.

A little clip of Vinicius' heels from Llorente is enough to prevent the Brazilian breaking from his own half.

Correa off for Atleti, Kondogbia on to shore up at the back for the final 10 minutes. 

Oblak! Another first-class save denies Benzema, who hit that well enough.

Very, very dangerous free kick for Madrid on the edge of the area... Benzema sizing this up.

Oblak! That could be worth a title! Benzema has the goal at his mercy and Oblak makes a glorious double save to keep Atleti 1-0 up! Excellent keeping from the Slovakia stopper.

Suárez is down again as Nacho leaves an elbow hanging as he jumps into a challenge. Free kick to Atleti.

Benzema and Vinicius attempt to pick a way through on the right but Savic is there to break it up.

More excellent defending from Nacho as Suárez threatens to go one-on-one with Courtois.

Llorente does all the hard work driving into the area on the right but then finds Casemiro instead of Félix with his pull back.

Madrid's midfield has lacked its usual precision in passing this afternoon as Kroos sends another loose ball to an Atleti shirt.

Valverde decides to get around that issue with a vicious strike from beyond the area but Oblak parries to safety.

Madrid are finding it very difficult to break through Atleti's back line despite the injection of fresh legs. The home side are pretty comfortable at the back and look dangerous every time they go forward.

Oooof! Varane goes into the book after catching Suárez in the chest with a firm elbow.

Suárez and Félix link up immediately and the Portugese gets a shot in but the flag is up.

João Félix coming on for Atleti, Carrasco the man to make way after a stellar afternoon's work. 

Another corner for Madrid... cleared with another firm header.

Double change for Madrid. Asensio and Rodrygo off, Valverde and Vinicius on.

The Suárez-Carrasco connection has been a thorn in Madrid's right side this afternoon and the two combine again with the Uruguayan attempting an overhead that doesn't quite come together.

Suárez has a pop with his left but he shanks wide.

First change for Atleti as Lemar heads off for Saúl.

The shot count is creeping up now, six for the home side, eight from the visitors.

Suárez! Courtois! The Real keeper is earning his coin today as he denies the Uruguayan from point-blank range!

Llorente! Suárez and Carrasco break again and the former Madrid man cracks a shot just over from distance after Courtois saves the Belgian's initial effort. Lively start to the second half!

Casemiro slings one in and Nacho is up to meet it but Oblak is equal to the defender's rather tame effort.

Another opportunity for Madrid with Kroos over a free kick on the edge of the area. He sends it back to Modric but the Croatian's shot is blocked.

But the home side clear this one comfortably.

Corner for Madrid as Vázquez slings in a dangerous looking cross... Atleti and Madrid corners not great friends traditionally of course.

We're back underway in Madrid, with a few drops of rain starting to fall in the Spanis capital.

Free to Atleti on the edge of the area, Casemiro the miscreant as he shoves an arm into Lemar then gives him a boot on the floor trying to play the ball. There'll be no time to take it though as the ref blows for the half!

Atleti throw, Carrasco in no hurry to take...

Kroos has a tradmark pop from the edge of the area but it takes a deflection straight into Oblak's gloves.

Two additional minutes of the first half.

That will no doubt be all over the back pages in varying degrees of indignation tomorrow morning if the score remains the same here. It would have been a bit harsh, Felipe was airborne, his arm drawn into his body.

And the ref says no dice! Atleti throw after a lengthy consultation with the pitch side monitor.

Ooh, we go to VAR!

Meanwhile, Benzema is down in some discomfort after what looked like a dig in the ribs.

Huge Madrid shout for a handball in the area there but the ref is unmoved! Looks like it maybe glanced Felipe's shoulder.

Suárez! The Uruguayan pulls a flick out of his bag of tricks and Courtois is forced into a save at his near post.

Carrasco and Suárez combine with a one-two and it's down to Vázquez again to prevent the Belgian from turning on his heel in the area. Good defending from the back-up right back.

Again, Madrid play it out from the back through Modric, Asensio picks it up and tries to feed Benzema on the halfway line but the striker is alone against three red and white shirts.

Benzema is struggling to have any impact so far. In fairness, the Frenchman is getting little in the way of service, testament to Atleti's defensive set-up which is leaving little room in the middle and pushing Madrid out to the flanks.

Carrasco with some lovely footwork to make a mug out of Vázquez.

Free kick to Madrid as Hermoso bundles Rodrygo to the floor again. Kroos takes but Atleti clear with a minimum of fuss.

Varane is called into action to cut out a cross as Atleti apply the pressure across the edge of the area again.

Oblak! A first intervention from the Atleti keeper who stoops to stop a ferocious Casemiro effort.

Lemar appeals for a corner after a tussle with Varane and the Atleti winger may have a had a point there... difficult to call for the officials though.

Atleti threaten again as Suárez dinks a ball over the top but Carrasco can't get his boot around it under pressure from Vázquez, who has been as solid as a rock at right back so far.

Atleti are devastating on the break at the moment. Two touches from the back is enough to send Suárez tearing towards Courtois' goal but Vázquez gets a boot in.

Benzema is the target this time as Asensio pings one in but the striker can't get high enough to control his header.

Felipe gets a firm header to a teasing Vázquez cross. Good defending from the Brazilian there.

Nacho times a challenge perfectly to dispossess Llorente in the area... the canterano had to be inch-accurate there.

Benzema! First sniff of a chance for the Frenchman but he doesn't get hold of it and Oblak gathers.

Well, well. Suárez hadn't found the net in five games but he does so within 15 minutes here to temporarily send Atleti five clear of Barça and eight ahead of Madrid in the standings.

The Uruguayan bides his time and slips Madrid's offside trap to round Varane and hammer Llorente's pass into the net with the outside of his boot! What a strike from Suárez and Atleti have the lead.

Marcos Llorente is down in a heap after a challenge with Casemiro... play continues for now as Vázquez does enough to prevent Suárez squeezing a shot off.

Atleti are applying a suffocating press on the Madrid back four, the visitors increasingly forced to play dangerous balls across their own lines to get it out of the danger area.

Benzema attempts to get the better of Trippier on the left of the Madrid attack but the England defender manages to win his side a goal kick.

Hermoso gets a little talking to after giving Rodrygo enough of a shove to prevent a break. No chances yet but Atleti seeing more of the ball.

Suárez takes but it's straight into the wall and out for an Atleti corner on the right.

Free kick to Atleti as Varane sends Suárez to the turf. Decent position for the home side this...

Madrid on the back foot in the early exhanges but Marco Asensio drops back to clear up the danger.

We are underway in Madrid! It's derby day and the sun is shining!

Zidane's right hand man

He may not be the very definition of a galáctico but Lucas Vázqez's versatility makes him worth his weight in gold to Real Madrid. A winger by trade, he has played at right back for much of the season.

It is a fine venue for a game of football...

A special fan in the Metropolitano

Socio number one, that is to say the holder of the oldest club membership card in circulation, Pedro Palmero, will do the honours at today's game in the continued absence of fans in stadiums in Spain. 

Real Madrid won the derby earlier in the season at home, a result that given the Liga table now carried more signifance than was perhaps evident at the time. You can relive that game right here.

Simeone's decision to leave Félix in reserve is also of note. We assume the Portuguese will be unleashed in the final 20-30 to get his dancing feet to work on a tiring Madrid back line.

An interesting selection choice from Zidane up top today. Rodrygo is certainly a big game player and he certainly hits the target with a bit more frequency than his compatriot Vinicius.

Real Madrid starting XI confirmed

And Benzema is in the starting line-up for Madrid. with Marco Asensio and Rodrygo in support. Lucas Vázquez continues at right back while the midfield will be marshalled by Toni Kroos, Casemiro and Luka Modric.

Atlético starting XI confirmed

Simeone has announced his starting XI and it's Correa who gets the nod up front with Luis Suárez. Trippier comes straight back into the starting line-up and all else is more as less as expected with the Atlético coach switching to a 4-4-2 for today's game.

Simeone unsure who will partner Luis Suárez

"João and Ángel have different characteristics - Ángel gives us a more dynamic edge within the team's game, while João is a special talent who can conjure something up out of nothing and his figures in front of goal are good. They have a healthy competition for a place. Both will play, one will start, the other might have to wait but both with get their turn."

Read Simeone's press conference in full

Atlético Madrid squad

Kieran Trippier returns to the Atlético squad after his betting ban and Simeone has almost his full complement available today with José María Giménez the main absentee for the home side.

Real Madrid squad

Zidane has welcomed back some players ahead of the derby. The return of Karim Benzema was a source of great satisfaction for the Frenchman, who described his compatriot as a "joy for football" in his pre-match press conference.

Also available after various degrees of injury absence are Rodrygo, Militão, Odriozola and Valverde, giving Zidane some options off a bench that has been almost exclusively inhabited by Castilla youngsters in recent weeks.

Given recent results for both sides and the traditionally cagey nature of the Madrid derby (that 7-3 in the ICC really isn't an accurate gauge of how these games generally go) goals will probably be at a premium today. In the last 10 Liga derbies there have been more than two goals on two occasions (1-3 in this fixture last season and 0-3 on Atleti's turf in 2016).

Over that period, there have been three goalless draws and two 1-1s.

And Real Madrid's over the same time frame. Real Sociedad did Atlético's title aspirations a favour in midweek in a rearranged game and whatever the result in the Metropolitano today it is worth noting that Atlético still have one game in hand over their rivals.

Here's a look at Atlético's last five in all competitions.

It hasn't all been plain sailing for Madrid either with Zidane facing a constant injury crisis at the moment that has robbed him of the opportunity to field anything like his first-choice XI in recent weeks.

Madrid have scored just once in each of their last three fixtures but Zidane has at least managed to find some defensive stability in the long-term absence of Sergio Ramos, usually the defending champions' Achilles heel.

It isn't entirely convenient for the red and white half of the city that Atleti have been in a bit of a rut recently. Draws against Celta and Levante, added to a defeat by the Valencia-based outfit in a Liga double-header, have knocked Atleti's normally iron-clad confidence and Simeone's side are struggling for goals as well despite Simeone's tactical shift to a more attacking 3-1-4-2 formation.

Do not be overly surprised to see Atlético set up in a more solid 4-4-2 today despite a much-needed win at Villarreal went some way to vindicating Simeone's more expansive style.

It has been a while since Simeone has masterminded a win over Madrid as well. El Cholo broke the 14-year Atleti curse in the 2013 Copa del Rey final and then set about dismantling Real's recent dominance of the fixture with seven victories in all competitions over the next four seasons. 

It has been 10 games now though since Atleti secured bragging rights in LaLiga in a 1-0 victory in 2016.

The stakes have rarely been higher between the two sides going into today's game. Atlético have seen a comfortable lead at the top of the table chipped away in recent weeks as Barça and Madrid have settled into a habit of carving out results against the odds, much as Diego Simeone's side have earned a deserved reputation for doing over the years. Ronald Koeman's side are now just two points behind Atleti and Madrid will reduce the gap to the same number if Zinedine Zidane's side are victorious today.

Atlético Madrid vs Real Madrid: welcome

Hello and welcome to AS English's live coverage of the Madrid derby between Atlético and Real Madrid at the Metropolitano. Kick-off is at 16:15 CET.