Real Madrid, having avoided a disastrous Champions League exit, face city rivals Atletico today looking suddenly well-equipped to ruin their unbeaten run. 
Karim Benzema scored twice against Borussia Moenchengladbach on Wednesday to end any fears that Real would fail to progress to the group stage after they had started the match with their hopes in the balance.
With Sergio Ramos back to lead the defence and Benzema clinical in front of goal, Real eventually went through as group winners with a comfortable 2-0 victory meaning they will avoid many of the big guns in the last 16 draw.
Coach Zinedine Zidane, whose job has been the subject of speculation after a turbulent start to the season, seems safe for now. Atletico, who lead La Liga by a single point from the season’s surprise package, Real Sociedad, also booked their ticket to the Champions League knockout stage with a composed 2-0 win against RB Salzburg in Austria.
Diego Simeone’s side go into the last-16 draw as Group A runners-up behind reigning champions Bayern Munich. Atletico last won the Spanish title in 2014 and came third last season as Real won it with Barcelona second. 
Zidane said he had been impressed by Atletico this season. “They are favourites and they demonstrate that every time they take the pitch,” Zidane said on the eve of his match with Diego Simeone’s side. “They have always been highly competitive, and right now they are top of the pile.”
Zidane’s side trail Atletico by six points despite having played one more than their poor-cousin city-rivals. “We know them very well. This is an opportunity for us to show what we are capable of,” he said. The press are billing it as a final but here every match is a final. We want to win every game and especially this one as it’s a big game. We won the league last year and we want to defend our crown, and we’ll do that until the end.”
The Frenchman also sung the praises of Atletico’s in-form midfielder Marcos Llorente. The 25-year-old came through the youth setup at Madrid before joining their city rivals in 2019. “He’s not surprising me with his performances,” Zidane said. “Llorente is a top-class player and he’s showing another facet of his game right now that he didn’t have when at Real Madrid. We always knew he was a quality player and I’m pleased to see him doing well.”
Zidane said midfielder Federico Valverde and fullback Dani Carvajal will also be in contention for a return to the starting team. The champions will, however, be without attacking trio Eden Hazard, Luka Jovic and Mariano Diaz as well as midfielder Martin Odegaard. 
While the city derby – albeit without the fervent crowd the game normally attracts – will dominate headlines today, Barcelona’s match against Levante tomorrow will also come under intense scrutiny. Barca are in such disarray that they need a victory merely to steady the ship after a morale-sapping 3-0 defeat to Juventus in the Champions League.
The Catalans still qualified for the last 16, but as group runners-up Lionel Messi and his teammates risk drawing one of Europe’s big names. After the tumultuous summer which almost saw Messi depart, Barca and new coach Ronald Koeman never seem to have recovered.
They sit an unaccustomed ninth in the table with just 14 points from 10 games. Goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen said a win against modest Levante, who have just three points fewer than the Catalans, was essential. “In La Liga we are not where we want to be but we can claw back some points and that is the aim in the next few weeks. “We’re playing at home and we can’t afford to drop a single point now.” Sociedad meanwhile take on Eibar tomorrow.

Fixtures (all times GMT)
Today: Valencia v Athletic Bilbao (1300), Getafe v Sevilla (1515), Huesca v Alaves (1730), Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid (2000)
Tomorrow: Real Sociedad v Eibar (1300), Real Betis v Villarreal (1515), Elche v Granada (1730), Barcelona v Levante (2000)
On Monday: Celta Vigo v Cadiz (2000)