What’s eating Eder? Militao and Alonso deep in discussion at Real Madrid training | WSS | Soccer |

Only six weeks into La Liga and Atletico Madrid already faces what seems to be a must-win derby when it hosts Real Madrid on Saturday.

Despite revamping a significant part of the squad this summer, Atletico is off to its worst start — two wins in six matches — since coach Diego Simeone took over more than a decade ago. They take on their top rival well behind in the standings: Real Madrid leads the league and Atletico Madrid is eighth, nine points adrift.

Madrid is the only team to have won all six rounds. That run has been fuelled by the prolific Kylian Mbappé.

The France striker has seven goals, three more than the next best scorer, and has failed to find the net only in one game. He scored twice on Tuesday, a 4-1 victory over Levante.

Atletico’s poor form comes after a busy summer in which it bought the likes of Villarreal playmaker Álex Baena, United States midfielder Johnny Cardoso, and defenders David Hancko and Matteo Ruggeri. Injuries to Baena and Cardoso, among others, have not helped Simeone.

It will be Xabi Alonso’s first Spanish capital derby as Madrid’s coach after he spent 2009-14 playing for the club.

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