El Derbi won't settle title race, says Simeone
Diego Simeone sees no reason to think the LaLiga title race could be over if Atletico Madrid beats Real Madrid on Monday (AEDT).
Atleti heads into El Derbi at Wanda Metropolitano with a five-point lead at the top of the table over its city rival, and a two-point lead over second-placed Barcelona, with a game in hand on both.
Simeone's men lost the reverse fixture 2-0 in December but went on a run of nine consecutive league wins to put them in a commanding position at the top.
However, dropped points last month against Levante (twice) and Celta Vigo allowed Madrid and Barca to close the gap and a third home defeat in a row in all competitions would truly reignite a three-way title battle.
The omens are not good for Atletico, either, as it is on a nine-game winless run against Madrid in LaLiga, has failed to score in the last 355 minutes of that sequence and has yet to beat Los Blancos in the top flight at Wanda Metropolitano.
Madrid has also found form away from home of late, winning each of its past three league games on the road, one short of its best run set under Zinedine Zidane last July.
Simeone, who has won just 12.5 per cent of league matches against Zidane, does not believe ending that poor recent derby record will be enough to consider the title race is in Atleti's hands.
"It's a really beautiful championship and all the important teams are seeking the best positions in the table," he said.
"It's a top-of-the-table game, a direct game between two teams fighting for similar positions, but they're three points. There's still a long way to go in LaLiga and we'll try to take the game where we want so we can cause some damage.
"A few games ago, we were talking about a league where Real Madrid and Barcelona had no chance, and look where they are now. We know how difficult this championship is."
Joao Felix has begun to find form of late, having scored a superb second in Atletico's 2-0 win at Villarreal last time out.
Simeone has yet to decide whether to start the talented Portugal youngster alongside Luis Suarez or to go with the more hard-working Angel Correa.
"Joao and Angel have different characteristics," he said. "Angel gives us more dynamism in the team's collective work, with a lot more directness in his play, and Joao has a special talent that can produce something nobody else has and, from the point of view of the number of goals, Joao's are very good.
"The competition is very good, very healthy, very beautiful. The two will play: one will start, and another will have to wait, but certainly both will play."
