The race in La Liga is getting tighter by the week, and Barcelona is no longer absolutely assured of yet another piece of silverware. However, league play is of secondary concern right now for both Barca and Atletico Madrid. There's still business to tend to in the quarterfinals of the Champions League, and Wednesday's match at the Vicente Calderon should be amazing.
Soccer Odds at BookMaker.eu
Atletico Madrid +230
Barcelona +125
Draw +240
Over/Under 2.5 (under -135)
ODDS ANALYSIS
Barcelona doesn't have to win this match in order to get into the semifinals of the UCL, but it's favored to do so anyway. The Catalan giants are +125 moneyline favorites on the road in hostile territory in Madrid.
The Atleti, who need to win this match by at least one, if not two or more to advance, are +230 underdogs on the moneyline.
The second legs of these Champions League affairs are generally more open than the first, but the total in this match is just 2.5 and -135 vig on the under after the 2-1 Barca victory back at Camp Nou.
THE FIRST LEG
It was a scary day for Barcelona for sure at Camp Nou, and though the tie is far from settled, at least the Catalans left their home pitch with a win.
The big deal in the first leg of this matchup is that Fernando Torres was going to start to try to inject some offense into a team which badly needed it. Torres did the job, scoring the opening goal of the fray, but he was sent off just 10 minutes later after getting booked twice.
That opened the door for Barcelona to finally strike. Luis Suarez was on target twice, scoring first in the 63rd minute, then again in the 74th, and he was unlucky not to end up with a hat trick. He was the best player on the pitch, but he only had the answers for the Atletico Madrid defense after Torres was sent off.
Barca had 71 percent of the possession in the opening matchup, and we have a tough time imagining it not having the greater share of the ball in this one as well.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
The whole key in this game for Barcelona is going to be getting the ball in the back of the net at least once. Once that happens, this whole game is going to open up, and they'll be able to find openings as they did in the second half of the opening leg. That's when the Suarez, Lionel Messi, Neymar trio can really start to turn it on.
Atletico Madrid started three strikers up front in the first meeting, but by the end of the match, all of the strikers were either sent off or subbed out in hopes to try to limit the Barcelona damage. The plan worked, but now, the Atleti have to figure out how to win this match, and we're not overly optimistic they'll be able to do so.
Barcelona was firmly the better team in the second half against Atletico Madrid, and in spite of its recent problems of late with dud matches against Real Sociedad, Real Madrid and Villarreal domestically, it should take care of business with at least that one crucial goal we think will finally come in the second 45 to kill this match off.
Champions League Odds: Barcelona 1, Atletico Madrid 0
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