Three keys to a Real Madrid win against Atletico Madrid

Real Madrid got a wake up call when Valencia scored the equalizer late in last Saturday's match. Luckily enough for Zidane's men, Marcelo had time to rescue them and earn the three points. Still, Madrid must play better if they want to beat Atletico over two legs.

1. Take the game seriously. Los Blancos relaxed against Valencia and that's something they must avoid today. Simeone and his men will never quit and they will surely try to score an away goal, so the attackers have to play with composure and willingness to help their teammates.
2. Use your bench. Reports indicate that Marco Asensio, Alvaro Morata and James Rodriguez will be on the bench. All three of those players are in good form and have completed good performances lately, so Zidane will be able to use them if he wants to change the course of the game.
3. Keep a clean sheet once and for all. This is something Madrid just can't take care of this season, but they might need to do so against Atletico in order to succeed. Griezmann and company are capable of scoring at any given time —as his equalizer when these two teams last met proves— and it would be devastating for Real to let their neighbors score at the Bernabeu.

How to watch Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid

Kick-off time: 20:45 CET, 02:45pm EST.

Venue: Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain.

Available TV: FOX Sports (USA), Antena 3 (Spain).

Available streaming: FOX Sports 2GO (USA), Fubo.TV (EVERY Real Madrid game with a high-quality and legal stream, click here to sign up and benefit from a huge offer for new members and Managing Madrid readers).