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The UEFA Champions League semifinal second leg games kick off today with the Italian giants Juventus FC matching strengths with their French counterparts Monaco. I’ll get into which team I think will win that game in a bit, but first I have the preview and prediction for tomorrow’s match between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.
- What: Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid
- When: Wednesday, May 10, 2017, 2:45 PM ET
- Where: Vicente Calderon Stadium – Madrid, Spain
- Moneyline: Real Madrid +164 vs Atletico +162
Betting on Real Madrid
It’s hard to believe that Real Madrid won’t pass through to the UEFA Champions League finals once more. Not being up by three goals and with a huge shot at scoring in this match.
All of Real’s guns will be blazing from start to finish with the sole purpose of driving the final nail in Atletico’s coffin. Currently, they would have to give away three goals just to take the match into overtime, but with just one score they would seal their ticket to the final.
The three-goal advantage came at the legs of their Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored his second hat trick in two games in the Champions. Ronaldo has scored eight of Real Madrid’s last nine goals in the Champions League – the other coming from Marco Asensio and has scored more Champions League goals in the knockout stage (52) than in the group stage (51) during his career.
Real Madrid is not without its woes though, winger Gareth Bale appears set to be sidelined, as will center-back Pepe and possibly Dani Carvajal. This leaves some holes in the backfield that they’ll need to adjust for to defend against Atletico’s Griezmann.
However, considering this is the fourth season in a row that the two city rivals face off in the Champions League knockout phase and that Atlético are yet to claim victory during this recent run, it’s fair to say Atletico has reached the end of the line.
Betting on Atletico Madrid
Atletico is in the gallows at the hands of Real Madrid after losing 3-0 in the first leg game at Santiago Bernabeu.
Though the second leg match is being played on their home pitch at Vicente Calderon, they’ll now have to score three goals just to tie the global score and take the match into extra time.
Understandably, this is a feat considered by many to be impossible considering that it would be the first time ever that a team can overcome a three deficit in the semifinals to make it to the final of the Champions. Nevertheless, head coach Diego Simeone is keeping his hopes high: “On Wednesday, we have a very difficult game, impossible for many, but not for us, nothing is impossible.”
Atletico has fared well at home in this competition. Under Simeone, Atletico has won a respectable 17 of 22 games and are unbeaten in 10 knockout stage home legs with six wins and four draws. Atletico Madrid have also kept a clean sheet in 16 of their last 18 Champions League games at the Calderon.
Atletico will still face trouble in the backfield, with Sime Vrsaljko, Juanfran and Jose Gimenez expected to miss out once more. Meanwhile, Yannick Ferreira Carrasco and Kevin Gameiro will need to support leading scorer Antoine Griezmann in the final third, although Fernando Torres and Tiago are both pushing for spots in Simeone's first XI.
Game Prediction: This game closes to a 1-1 draw. Real Madrid heads once more to the Finals.
- What: Juventus FC vs Monaco
- When: Tuesday, May 9, 2017, 2:45 PM ET
- Where: Juventus Stadium – Turin, Italy
- Moneyline: Juventus -165 vs Monaco +450
Game Prediction: Juventus scored two goals in Monaco in the first leg. With the second leg played in Turin, where Juve has not lost over 18 games (11 wins, 7 draws), it’s hard to see how they can lose now. Monaco however have now won their last seven away games in all competitions. Nevertheless, this game will end 2-1 for the home team. Champions League final is Real Madrid vs Juventus.
