MADRID, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid both have vital games in La Liga on Sunday before they go head-to-head in the return leg of their Champions League last-16 tie next Wednesday night in Atletico's Metropolitano Stadium.

Real Madrid plays at home in another derby against Rayo Vallecano, while Atletico has a trip to Getafe.

Both Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti and Atletico boss Diego Simeone will both make changes to their sides on Sunday to ensure their players are as fresh as possible for what will be an intense match on Wednesday, but at the same time they need to retain focus on La Liga.

Atletico is second in the table, just a point behind league leader FC Barcelona, while Real Madrid is three points off the top, although those gaps could open to four and six points if Barcelona win at home to Osasuna on Saturday night.

Ancelotti is boosted by the return of Jude Bellingham after the England midfielder missed the last two league games and the first leg in Europe through suspension. Bellingham should bring more energy to a midfield that looked slightly flat in Madrid's last two games and missed the injured Dani Ceballos.

Luka Modric looks ready to start against Rayo, where Kylian Mbappe will be under the stoplight after disappointing in Real Madrid's last two games.

"We are ready to compete in every game bearing in mind the efforts we have made," commented Ancelotti in his pre-game press conference in which he said he was happy his players had "five days" to prepare after facing Atletico on Tuesday.

"It's not an ideal situation, but we are close to the Copa del Rey final, the leadership in La Liga and the quarter-finals of the Champions League," added the Real Madrid boss.

Atletico Madrid breezed past Getafe 5-0 in their recent Copa del Rey quarterfinal, but Getafe will be much stronger in its home ground and coach Jose Bordalas can be expected to get his players to sit deep after consecutive league defeats.

Simeone will also make changes to his team and has the luxury of being able to bring in Alexander Sorloth, Angel Correa or Conor Gallagher as he looks to freshen things up

"It will be a different game to the one we played in the Metropolitano, they are very strong at home and have improved a lot in attack and intensity. It will be hard, it will be hard work, but we hope to carry the game to where we can hurt them," Simeone told the press on Saturday, confirming he would make changes to his side. Enditem

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