The Madrid derby in La Liga is played by Real Madrid and which club?

The Madrid derby in La Liga is played by Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid. Both clubs are based in Spain’s capital, making their meetings the city’s defining football rivalry, known in Spanish as the Derbi Madrileño.

The rivalry began in the early twentieth century and originally referred mainly to matches in the Spanish championship. It now commonly includes meetings in every competition, including the Copa del Rey, Spanish Super Cup and UEFA Champions League. The clubs’ stadiums, Santiago Bernabéu and Metropolitano, are only a short distance apart within Madrid.

The derby has also produced major European occasions. Real Madrid and Atlético became the first clubs from the same city to meet in a European Cup or Champions League final when they faced each other in Lisbon in 2014. They met again in the 2016 final in Milan, with Real Madrid winning both finals.

It is easy to confuse this fixture with El Clásico, which is Real Madrid versus Barcelona. Leganés, Rayo Vallecano and Getafe are also Madrid-area clubs, but the established Madrid derby specifically means Real Madrid against Atlético Madrid.