The two titans in the Spanish capital will square off in an important La Liga match this Saturday when Atletico Madrid hosts Real Madrid. Currently, Atletico are in second place in the standings with 44 point, but Real are right behind them with 42 points. Both teams are still well behind front-runners Barcelona, yet a win for either side would make them the top contender going forward. Incredibly, Real Madrid have won just once in their last 11 league matches with Atletico, and they know this is quite a large task.
Don't miss the Spanish La Liga action from the Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid, Spain at 10:15 a.m. ET on Saturday, February 9, 2019. Catch every moment of the match live on beIN Sports.
La Liga Betting Odds at BookMaker.eu
Atletico Madrid +130
Real Madrid +213
Draw +228
Over/Under 2 and 2.5
Odds Analysis
Atletico Madrid were on quite the run before last week’s loss to Real Betis. Atletico had won six of their last seven matches, with the one non-win being a draw, but they couldn’t find their way onto the scorer’s sheet against Betis. Prior to that loss, Atletico had been averaging two goals per game, much better than what we had seen earlier in the year. They lost 1-0 and had just one shot on goal, and the goal they surrendered was a penalty kick.
It’s been a month since Real Madrid last lost a league game. They have won four in a row in La Liga action, and they are still alive in all their cup competitions too. Real Madrid hammered Alaves 3-0 last weekend, but they will have another game before clashing with Atletico. Real Madrid faces Barcelona in another El Clasico on Wednesday, the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals.
Injury Report
Diego Costa is close to returning. Costa is one of Atletico’s top offensive options, and they have missed him while he has been recovering from a broken toe. He is expected to miss this game, but he could participate in the Champions League in the middle of the week. Stefan Savic is still out with a strained hamstring, and three other players are questionable. Koke, Diego Godin, and Gelson Martins are all day-to-day and may not play.
Franchu has been sidelined for the remainder of the season for Real Madrid. Additionally, Jesus Vallejo is out for another few weeks because of a thigh injury, while Luca Zidane and Karim Benzema are both considered questionable.
Player to Watch
It will be interesting to see how much run Isco gets in this one. The talented youngster has fallen into the doghouse of Santi Solari, and he might be dealt even though he is one of the biggest talents on the team. It has been rumored that Solari wants to transfer him out, and he has only seen duty as a substitute in recent weeks. Given Real Madrid’s stretch here, Isco might get one more starting nod to prove himself.
Prop Bet: Under 2.5 Goals -129
Atletico have the best defense of any club in the world. Diego Simone emphasizes strong defense in his tactics, and they have a great back line and an incredible goalkeeper to back it up. They have held Real Madrid to less than two goals in nine of their last 11 meetings, and they are unlikely to score more than one or two themselves. Atletico have been inclined to go for the draw in recent years, and that has panned out tremendously.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
Five of the last six meetings between these two teams have ended in draws, and I think it’s the best option here. These teams can thrust and parry with the best of them, so go with the under and the draw.
Spanish La Liga Odds: Real Madrid 1, Atletico Madrid 1
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