The second Champions League semi-final match of the week sees Atletico Madrid host Arsenal.
This is a battle between two European giants who are still yet to win this prestigious competition.
But one of them will compete in this year’s final against either Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern Munich at the Puskas Arena in Budapest.
So, which team will land a decisive blow in the first leg? We will soon find out, and here is our full betting online preview for Atletico Madrid vs Arsenal, complete with the latest Champions League odds and tips.
Atletico Madrid vs Arsenal Preview
Despite reaching the Champions League semi-finals, it has been a tough time for Atletico of late.
Diego Simeone’s men finally ended a run of four consecutive La Liga losses on the weekend with a 3-2 victory over Athletic Bilbao at the Wanda Metropolitano.
But Atletico must still be reeling from their recent Copa del Rey final defeat to Real Sociedad, who eventually won on penalties following a thrilling 2-2 draw.
So this is not an Atletico side built on defensive discipline, which was made clear by Barcelona’s 2-1 win at the Metropolitano in the quarter-final second leg.
Simeone’s men were fairly fortunate to progress, though so were Arsenal following a 1-0 aggregate win over Sporting Lisbon – with Mikel Arteta’s men mustering only a 0-0 draw at the Emirates in the second leg.
Like Atletico, the Gunners have endured heartbreak in recent weeks, with a 2-0 loss to Manchester City in the EFL Cup final followed by a 2-1 FA Cup humbling vs Southampton and then consecutive Premier League defeats.
But Arsenal got back to winning ways on the weekend with a crucial 1-0 victory over Newcastle, a result they simply must build on to stand any chance of winning silverware this season.
Interestingly, these two sides met in the League Phase, with Arsenal securing a 4-0 win at the Emirates courtesy of a second-half brace from Viktor Gyokeres.
Atletico Madrid vs Arsenal Odds
*All odds are subject to change
Arsenal are slight favourites to claim a crucial first-leg win here at a price of 2.55. A victory for hosts Atletico is at odds of 2.85, while the draw is 3.20.
Atletico Madrid vs Arsenal Betting Tips
Both teams to score – Yes @ 1.92
Atletico have kept just one clean sheet in the last nine matches across all competitions, though did score at least two goals in seven of those games. So at close to evens, the BTTS market looks a fantastic shout, with Arsenal scoring in all but one of their Champions League contests this season.
Anytime goalscorer – Bukayo Saka @ 4.20
Saka made his long-awaited return from injury vs Newcastle and looked sharp from the moment he got on the ball. He is expected to replace Noni Madueke in the Arsenal XI for this vital fixture, and we are backing him to land a decisive blow in Madrid. Saka actually scored in the Spanish capital last season against Real Madrid – even after missing a penalty!
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