Despite sitting top of LaLiga, reigning champions Real Madrid may feel like they have a lot to prove when they host Atletico Madrid.

Los Blancos' in-form city rivals, meanwhile, will be eager to seize the momentum in the title race and leapfrog Carlo Ancelotti's team into top spot.

Madrid have failed to beat any of their top-four rivals this season and head into Saturday's derby searching for a statement victory to silence some of their doubters.

It will be the first of two massive challenges facing Ancelotti and his charges in the coming days, with Madrid travelling to England next week for the first leg of their Champions League play-off tie with Manchester City.

Beating Atletico could be a turning point for Madrid, who have been under scrutiny for their inconsistent form as they seek to defend their titles at home and in Europe.

Defeats to AC Milan and Liverpool in the Champions League hurt, but they were more severely exposed in two thrashings handed out by Barcelona.

A 4-0 loss at home in the league and a 5-1 demolition in the Supercopa de Espana raised questions as to whether Madrid had it in them to retain their crowns.

Atletico have been in imperious form, winning 19 of their last 21 games in all competitions.

Sterling performances from Antoine Griezmann, Julian Alvarez and Rodrigo De Paul have earned Atletico big wins at Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, while Diego Simeone's side have arguably been playing some of the best football in Europe over the last few months.

They will also have recent history on their side when they step onto the Santiago Bernabeu pitch on Saturday.

Madrid have won only one of their last six capital derbies, a 5-3 extra-time victory in last year's Supercopa de Espana in Saudi Arabia.

Atletico also handed Madrid their only two defeats of a near-perfect 2023-24 season.

The reverse fixture this term finished 1-1.

A win at Santiago Bernabeu would give Atletico the advantage in the table at a crucial stage of the campaign, and Madrid go into the contest having to grapple with an injury crisis.

Already missing both defensive stalwart Dani Carvajal and Brazil centre-back Eder Militao for the season with torn anterior cruciate ligaments, Ancelotti then lost Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba with leg muscle injuries over recent days.

The Italian coach gave 20-year-old Jacobo Ramon his first senior start alongside fellow academy graduate Raul Asencio in Madrid's 3-2 Copa del Rey win at Leganes on Wednesday, but Ancelotti has tended to use midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni at centre-back to cover for his injured stars.

Ancelotti has only won 35% of his matches as Madrid coach against Atleti in all competitions (G23 W8 D7 L8); only against Man City (17% - G6 W1 D3 L2) has he posted a lower winning percentage among all his rivals faced at least five times with Los Blancos.

However, Simeone has lost nine of his 25 meetings with Ancelotti in all competitions (W9 D7). Against no other coach has he suffered more defeats in his career.

Lurking in third place are Barcelona, three points behind Atletico and on a nine-game unbeaten run in all competitions.

They travel to 12th-placed Sevilla on Sunday.