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 The Madrid derby - How Diego Simeone changed the dynamic

Ask just about any Real Madrid fan who their biggest rivals are and the name Barcelona is uttered without much of a second thought.

However, historically this is largely due to Los Blancos’ complete superiority over cross-city rivals Atletico - but of late something has changed.

When looking at this weekend's football tips and the forthcoming Madrid derby, the team in red and white are no longer massive underdogs and are viewed as stiff opposition for the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu hosts.

The main reason that Atletico can now go toe-to-toe with their traditionally dominant rivals is the arrival of Diego Simeone.

When the Argentine coach took over at the Estadio Vicente Calderon in December 2011, Atleti had not beaten Madrid in 22 games - their last victory had came back in 1999.

Although Simeone lost his first three encounters with his side’s rivals, the South American broke the unwanted trend in May 2013 when an extra-time Joao Miranda goal gave Atletico victory over Real to claim the Copa del Rey.

Los Rojiblancos went on to win the first La Liga encounter against Madrid in the 2013-14 campaign, which set the tone for Simeone’s men to become Spanish champions in spectacular fashion.

Heartbreak soon followed however as Atleti were leading 1-0 in the Champions League final against their fierce rivals, only for an injury-time Sergio Ramos goal to pave the way for a 4-1 Madrid win and the crowning of La Decima.

Atletico have had their fare share of joy against Madrid since then, winning the Spanish Super Cup over their enemies in the 2014-15 campaign and also eliminating Los Blancos from the Copa del Rey last season.

Fernando Torres’ return to the Atletico colours was made complete when he scored in the first minute of both halves to confirm Madrid’s exit in a 2-2 draw at the Santiago Bernabeu.

A 4-0 win for Atleti on home soil last February was the biggest show of dominance by either side in some time, while the spoils were shared in a 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture this season.

In total, the Madrid rivals have met 18 times since Simeone was named as Atletico boss, with a competitive record for the Argentine.

Atleti have won six of these games, Madrid claimed seven and there have been five draws. However, Los Blancos have only won one of the nine clashes between the teams since the Champions League final in May 2014.

Simeone’s influence has clearly had a telling impact on the revival of Atletico, who have reinstated real competitive rivalry between these two footballing powerhouses.

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