Agüero aims to turn tide in Madrid

Live-wire Agüero is eager to end Club Atlético de Madrid's nine-year wait for a derby win when they welcome league leaders Real Madrid CF on Sunday.

'Not impossible'
The 19-year-old Argentina forward has been the star of the season for an Atlético side who have progressed in the UEFA Cup and climbed to third place in the Primera División. He now wants to be the man to end Iker Casillas's run of four top-flight clean sheeets. "Casillas is a good keeper and it's tough to put a goal past him, but not impossible," said the former CA Independiente player.

Derby deficit
Ten points separate Atlético from their neighbours, and the gulf in class in recent years has been galling to those at the Vicente Calderón Stadium. Atlético have not won a derby since 1999. Nor is their overall record in all-Madrid encounters particularly inspiring – of the 141 meetings between the clubs, Madrid have won 75, while Raúl González has scored ten league goals against Atlético.

Long overdue
However, wonderful sequences are there to be broken, and Agüero – who has 16 goals in all competitions this term – is in the right frame of mind to inspire a triumph. "We have to be more focused than ever because it's important we beat Madrid after so long without having done so," said the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup winner.

Madrid problems
Madrid have their share of problems with seven players unavailable – Christoph Metzelder (foot), Gabriel Heinze (calf), Arjen Robben (thigh), Mahamadou Diarra (African Cup of Nations), Javier Balboa (knee ligaments), Roberto Soldado (calf) and Javier Saviola (knee and ankle). Pepe may yet be added to that list pending the outcome of tests on his achilles.

Motivation battle
Defender Sergio Ramos, back from suspension, is none the less hungry for success to make up for Madrid's midweek Spanish Cup exit against RCD Mallorca, saying: "Our cup defeat will serve as extra motivation to win the derby and we want the points to keep [second-placed FC] Barcelona at bay and get the crowd back on our side. I love derbies because they're matches with personality."