Both Atletico and Real Madrid are in Champions League action on Tuesday with Atletico at home to Eintracht Frankfurt, while Real Madrid has travelled to Kazakhstan to play FC Kairat.

Alvaro Carreras (L) of Real Madrid vies with Pablo Barrios of Atletico de Madrid during the Laliga football match between Real Madrid and Atletico de Madrid in Madrid, Spain, Sept. 27, 2025. (Photo by Gustavo Valiente/Xinhua)

Atletico welcome Eintracht after its thrilling 5-2 win at home to Real Madrid in Saturday's league derby. That should have given a huge morale boost to Diego Simeone's side, who can expect the Metropolitano Stadium to be bouncing on Tuesday, with its own fans and Eintracht supporters, who always travel in numbers to back their team.

Simeone is without the injured Johnny Cardoso and Thiago Almada, with defender Jose Gimenez a long-term absentee. The coach's main dilemma will be whether he sticks with Julian Alvarez, who has scored five goals in the past week, and Alexander Sorloth in attack, or whether he will look to freshen things up by introducing Giacomo Raspadori and perhaps Antoine Griezmann into his side.

Conor Gallagher could also have a chance of starting in midfield, with Javi Galan in at left back for David Hancko.

Real Madrid on Sunday flew the 7,000 kilometers from Madrid to Almaty in a flight that took over seven hours.

The Spanish press reports that coach Xabi Alonso used the flight to talk to his players about Saturday's mauling, then they were outplayed and outfought by Atletico.

Saturday's game also left Alonso with further injury problems, with Dani Carvajal suffering a calf injury and Eder Militao a knock which has stopped them from traveling (although Carvajal was suspended anyhow after his red card in Real's opening Champions League game) against Olympique de Marseille.

With Trent Alexander-Arnold already out of action, that means Alonso will have to improvise at right back with either Raul Asencio stepping across or B-teamer David Jimenez playing, while Antonio Rudiger's absence could give a chance to David Alaba in central defense