Real Madrid captain Casillas eager to maintain derby record over Atletico

Real Madrid captain Iker Casillas wants to maintain their record over Atletico Madrid today.

Real have not lost to Atletico home or away since 1999, while in the 73 meetings between the two at the Bernabeu the home side have picked up 49 victories and suffered only 12 defeats.

Casillas, who is one of the few local boys in either team following this summer's departures of Real veterans Raul and Guti, is understandably keen to improve on those remarkable records, although he is well aware that history will count for little.

"Our good run against them is just statistics. If we spoke to (summer signings Mesut and Sami) Ozil or Khedira I don't think it would matter too much to them, because all they want to do is win the match," said the 29-year-old Casillas, who made his senior Real debut in 1999.

"To the players who have been here longer, like Sergio (Ramos) and me, the matter of the good run maybe means a little more, but what we want regardless of statistics is to win.

"I'm from Madrid, so I know what it means. You can feel it in the streets. Atletico look forward to defeating us, but we hope to maintain the good streak we have against them."

 
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