As always, the stakes are high heading into Saturday's derby showdown between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid.
The capital clubs are locked together on 23 points in LaLiga, with the prospect of losing further ground on Barcelona – eight points better off at the top of the table – a grim one to contemplate.
With another story of high-stakes glory and despair waiting to be written, we cast an eye back over six classic clashes in El Derbi.
November 19, 2016 – Atletico Madrid 0 Real Madrid 3
Not only was this a key result in Madrid's first title win since 2012, but it also saw Cristiano Ronaldo make history once again in Spanish football.
The Portugal star's 39th career hat-trick at the Vicente Calderon saw him overtake Alfredo Di Stefano as the top scorer in the derby with 17 goals.
Ronaldo netted a deflected free-kick before adding a second from the penalty spot and a third via a Gareth Bale cross to silence the home crowd and lift Madrid to a four-point lead at the top of the table.
What made it more difficult for Diego Simeone and the Atleti fans to swallow was the fact that it was the last league derby to be held at the famous old ground before their move to the Wanda Metropolitano. Ouch.
February 7, 2015 – Atletico Madrid 4 Real Madrid 0
This was a season that ended in disappointment for both sides but the derby bragging rights belonged firmly to Atleti.
Having beaten Madrid 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu in September to go some way towards avenging their Champions League final defeat, the reigning LaLiga champions destroyed Carlo Ancelotti's team at the Vicente Calderon, claiming their first top-flight derby win at home in 14 years.
Injuries and suspensions restricted Madrid's defensive options, with Sergio Ramos, Pepe and Marcelo all unavailable, and Atleti showed no mercy in tearing a makeshift back line to ribbons.
Tiago and Saul Niguez put Atleti 2-0 up inside 18 minutes and the onslaught continued in the second half, with Antoine Griezmann netting from close range before Mario Mandzukic rounded off the scoring in the closing moments.
Madrid, who saw Cristiano Ronaldo return from suspension, managed only one shot on target as they endured their heaviest defeat since a 5-0 hammering by Barcelona in November 2010.
The loss allowed Barca to close the gap at the top before ultimately going on to win the title, along with the Copa del Rey and Champions League. For Ancelotti, it spelled the beginning of the end – he was sacked in May.
March 2, 2014 – Atletico Madrid 2 Real Madrid 2
One of the more fiercely contested derbies in recent years ended in a stalemate that ultimately helped Atletico to claim the title.
League leaders Madrid went into the encounter on an unbeaten run stretching back for 27 matches, while Diego Simeone's side, who were three points further back, had not lost at home all season.
An impasse always looked likely and so it proved to be, although the twisting narrative of the game made it almost impossible to call at any given stage.
Karim Benzema opened the scoring after only three minutes but Koke fired in an equaliser before captain Gabi's long-range belter put Atleti ahead before half-time.
Madrid dominated possession but looked unlikely to leave with a result until Cristiano Ronaldo steered in Dani Carvajal's cross with eight minutes remaining.
June 12, 1999 – Atletico Madrid 3 Real Madrid 1
Madrid had not conceded three times in LaLiga at the Calderon for a decade before this defeat rather summed up their disappointing season.
The reigning European champions finished 11 points behind Barcelona come the end of the Liga season, but a full 22 ahead of Atletico, making this loss even more galling.
Jose Mari's opener was cancelled out by Fernando Morientes, but further strikes from Jordi Lardin and Juninho gave the home side the win over John Toshack's visitors.
Toshack, who was only appointed for his second stint as head coach in February, did not last the year as Madrid ended 1998-99 without a trophy.
The result had something of a lasting effect, too: it was four years before Madrid won a league derby again.
January 18, 1997 - Atletico Madrid 1 Real Madrid 4
It is no secret that Real Madrid striker Raul was on the books of their neighbours as a youngster but was let go at 14 as Atletico made cutbacks to their academy.
That proved a big error, with Raul joining their bitter rivals and going on to become an all-time great for club and country.
In January 1997, Raul had his revenge on Atleti, scoring twice in a 4-1 Madrid win at the Calderon.
Madrid would go on to claim LaLiga glory at the end of the season, claiming the title with a stunning 92-point haul - only two more than the 90 amassed by Bobby Robson's swashbuckling Barcelona.
November 23, 1947 – Atletico Madrid 5 Real Madrid 0
Difficult as it might be to imagine in the modern era, Atletico ruled the roost in the capital in the 1940s by winning 11 league meetings between 1939 and 1950.
It was this match in 1947 that meant the most to Atleticos of a distant generation, though, and it remains the biggest winning margin in the history of El Derbi in the top flight.
Jose Juncosa scored twice, with Antonio Vidal, Paco Campos and Adrian Escudero also on target in a performance widely regarded as the finest ever produced by Atleti's so-called 'delantera de la seda', the 'silk forward line'.
Barcelona won the title that year but Atleti would go on to claim the next two, before the era of Alfredo Di Stefano and Ferenc Puskas lifted Madrid emphatically out of the shadow of their neighbours.
