Atletico Madrid vs. Arsenal Champions League Preview and Prediction
After earning a bit of a breather in their respective domestic leagues, Atletico Madrid and Arsenal resume their bid for a first-ever Champions League crown when the two sides meet up in the first leg of the semifinals at Estadio Metropolitano on Wednesday at 3 p.m. ET.
Arsenal ended a run of four straight domestic defeats, including losses in the EFL Cup final as well as the FA Cup, with a 1-0 defeat of Newcastle on Saturday. The victory moved the Gunners back into first place in the Premier League, three points clear of Man City, who have a game in-hand.
Atletico had lost four straight La Liga matches and gone just 1-6-1 in its last eight games across all competitions, before a 3-2 triumph over Athletic Club on Saturday to bolster its fourth-place standing, 10 points clear of Real Betis.
Viktor Gyokeres scored twice in three minutes in the second half as Arsenal easily handled Atletico, 4-0, at the Emirates during the league phase of this competition in October.
How much has changed over six months?
Atletico Madrid vs. Arsenal Champions League Odds and Betting Trends
Arsenal is the slight favourite on the road, with a moneyline at +162. Atletico sits at +187, and the draw is listed at +210 on the Champions League odds.
The over/under is set at 2.5 goals, with the under heavily favoured at -150.
Atletico Madrid
This is Atleti’s seventh Champions League semifinal, but first in nine years. The club is 3-3 in this round in its history. Coach Diego Simeone’s side advanced with a dominating 8-5 aggregate over Tottenham in the Round of 16 and a 3-2 aggregate over La Liga rival Barcelona in the quarterfinals.
Notoriously methodical, Atletico Madrid has tallied a club-record 34 goals in the Champions League this season, surpassing its previous best by eight goals.
Alexander Sorloth, who recorded a brace in the win over Athletic Club on the weekend, has six goals in Champions League play. Teammate Julian Alvarez leads the club with nine goals and four assists in this competition, but his status is in doubt on Wednesday.
Pablo Barrios, who came off with a thigh injury over the weekend, and Jose Gimenez (muscle) are both sidelined through injury. Ademola Lookman (muscle) and David Hancko (ankle) are also doubtful.
Arsenal
This is the first time in club history the Gunners have reached the Champions League semis in back-to-back seasons. Arsenal has reached the final just once, in 2006.
Saturday’s win was much needed on the domestic front, but coach Mikel Arteta’s side has glided through the Champions League. They were top of the 36-team table during the league phase with an 8-0-0 record, and they are the only side yet to suffer a defeat (10-0-2).
Arsenal edged Sporting Lisbon, 1-0, in the quarterfinals, but comes into Wednesday’s contest with multiple injury concerns. Ebereche Eze, who recorded the ninth-minute winner against Newcastle, came off just after halftime, while Kai Havertz limped off in the first half.
Havertz has recently been named ahead of Gyokeres, who has 12 goals in the Premier League and four in the UCL.
Champions League Prediction: Who Will Win Atletico Madrid vs. Arsenal?
The boosts over the weekend were much-needed, but neither side has inspired much confidence in tight games lately.
Atletico Madrid is 9-2-7 against English clubs in Madrid, while Arsenal is 17-2-3 in its last 22 Champions League matches.
That recent history, combined with the protective aspect of the first leg, indicates that we could see a 1-1 draw here.