Atletico Madrid v Liverpool: predictions and betting tips
Liverpool continue the defence of the Champions League with a trip to face Atletico Madrid on the ground where they lifted the trophy in June
Odds are right at the time of publishing and topic to alter.
Tight and tense in Madrid
The final time Liverpool visited the Wanda Metropolitano they comfortably noticed off Tottenham to assert a sixth European crown but they’re unlikely to have as simple a night against Diego Simeone’s men within the first leg of their round-of-16 tie.
Atletico are still attending to grips with a major squad overhaul that happened last summer, in which the likes of Antoine Griezmann, Rodri and Diego Godin moved on and Joao Felix, Marcos Llorente and Kieran Trippier all joined the club
The adjustments haven’t quite taken maintain and Atletico are thirteen factors off La Liga leaders Real Madrid in fourth place. Too many attracts have been their achilles heel in La Liga, and their failure to kill off opponents was evident in opposition to Valencia on Saturday when they twice threw away the lead. That stretched their latest run to one win within the last seven matches and they are going to discover it tough to improve on that report towards the European and world champions.
Another draw at 9/4 appears to supply decent worth for cash with Liverpool more probably to be happy to come away from the first leg with a share of the spoils, given how strong they are at Anfield on big European nights.
Jurgen Klopp’s males have had their justifiable share of nice nights away from home – the 3-1 win at Bayern Munich final season being a good instance – however they have also produced some poor showings overseas. Napoli comfortably saw them off in the group phases earlier in the season, whereas the final time they faced a La Liga side on Spanish soil they misplaced 3-0 in opposition to Barcelona.
The Merseysiders haven’t drawn typically this season however towards an Atletico side who have only lost to Barcelona at residence, a stalemate wouldn’t be a bad outcome for Liverpool.
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Goals at a premium
Atletico’s document at residence and Liverpool’s defensive stats suggests there won’t be too many chances on Tuesday. Although Atletico aren’t as onerous to attain in opposition to as they as soon as were, they have solely shipped four goals in the final 12 and eight all season at the Metropolitano.
At the other end of the sphere, Simeone’s men have failed to attain in four of their last eight games and are unlikely to get much change out of Liverpool’s backline. The Reds have kept eight clear sheets in 10 matches since the turn of the 12 months so objectives ought to be at a premium on this tie, making underneath 2.5 targets for the first leg at 8/13 a stable choice.
Just to add to the conjecture of there being fewer than three targets, only five of Atletico’s 24 league matches this season have featured over 2.5 goals
Partey no stranger to yellow cards
Atletico will make Liverpool fight for every inch on residence soil and Simeone’s aspect not afraid of confrontation. While they are not La Liga’s worst offenders this season in phrases of fouls dedicated and bookings, rating joint-ninth for yellow cards with fifty six in 24 matches, there’s certainly the potential for this to get ugly.
Poland’s Szymon Marciniak will be the man in command of issues on the pitch and he has been identified to be quick to get his playing cards out at times, as demonstrated when showing eight yellows in Liverpool’s 2-1 loss at Paris Saint-Germain in final season’s group stages.
Thomas Partey is a contender to be the primary offender for Atletico having collected 12 yellow cards in all competitions this season, 5 of those bookings coming in his final 10 outings. Having scored at the weekend, the Ghanian seems set to begin on Tuesday and is properly value contemplating at 9/5 to get his name in Marciniak’s pocket book.
All odds within this text correct at the time of publishing and are subject to vary.
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