Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid Odds: Champions League Prediction
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Ricky Rothstein
The beautiful Spanish city of Madrid will be the center of the soccer universe Tuesday as La Liga rivals Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid meet in the first leg of the Champions League semifinals. It’s the fourth straight year these two have met in this competition. Real Madrid won the first three and is a solid home betting favorite on Sports Interaction soccer odds for the first leg. The second leg is next Wednesday.
Atletico Madrid vs. Real Madrid Betting Odds
Moneylines: Real -134, Atletico +368, draw +262
Total: 2.5
Date: Tuesday, May 2, 2:45 p.m. ET
Location: Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
UEFA Champions League – Madrid Derby
Real Madrid is currently tied with its biggest 1 rival, Barcelona, for first in the La Liga table at 81 points; Atletico is third with 71. Real Madrid beat Valencia on Saturday, 2-1. Superstar Cristiano Ronaldo had a goal in the 27th minute but missed a penalty shot. Brazilian defender Marcelo had the winner in the 86th minute. Real Madrid advanced to the Champions League semifinals with a 6-3 aggregate win over German powerhouse Bayern Munich, the last non-Spanish side to win the Champions League.
Ronaldo leads Real with seven goals in Champions League play — he’s the first player to reach 100 career goals in the competition — and Karim Benzema has five. In all competitions, Ronaldo has found the net 32 times. Another Real Madrid star, Welshman Gareth Bale, will miss the CL semifinals with a left calf injury. Isco is expected to start in the midfield in Bale’s place ahead of James Rodriguez and Marco Asensio.
Atletico lost in La Liga last Thursday 1-0 to Villarreal but bounced back with a 5-0 victory Saturday over Las Palmas. It was 3-0 after 18 minutes thanks to two goals from Kevin Gameiro. Defender Jose Gimenez suffered an abductor injury in that match and will miss Tuesday if not longer. Full-back Juanfran is out with a thigh injury and winger Yannick Carrasco is doubtful with a collarbone injury.
Atletico advanced to the CL semifinals with a 2-1 aggregate victory over last season’s Premier League champions Leicester City. Antoine Griezmann leads Atletico with five Champions League goals and 25 in all competitions. He is +180 to be the first goal scorer of Tuesday’s match.
The sides have met twice in La Liga this season. On Nov. 19 in what was to be the Estadio Vicente Calderon’s final Madrid derby, Real won 3-0 on a Ronaldo hat trick. On April 8, Real Madrid drew 1-1 at home with Atletico. Griezmann tied it with a goal in the 85th minute. Pepe, who is now out injured, had the Real goal.
Real Madrid has a record 11 titles in this event and is looking to become the first club to repeat in the Champions League era. In last year’s final, Real and Atletico drew at 1-1, but Real won on penalty kicks 5-3. Ronaldo converted the decisive penalty for the Merengues. Real’s Zinedine Zidane became the seventh man in history to have won the European Cup as a player and manager.
Atletico is looking for its first championship. It led Real until the 93rd minute of the 2014 final when Sergio Ramos scored on a header to tie. Real would win 4-1 in extra time. The city rivals also met in the 2015 quarterfinals, with Real advancing 1-0 on aggregate.
Atletico Madrid vs. Real Madrid Predictions
Real is looking to be crowned champions of Spain and Europe in the same season for the first time since 1957-58. Atletico, meanwhile, is unbeaten in its past 15 away games, winning eight and drawing seven, scoring 29 goals and conceding just 11 since their 3-0 loss at Villarreal in December.
Ronaldo is the -115 favourite to be an anytime goal scorer. I believe he does find the net as the Portuguese star has scored 18 times in his career against Atletico Madrid. This match ends in a 2-1 Real win (that exact score is +733) and it advances with a draw next week at Atletico.