Overview
There’s a spot in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals up for grabs on Tuesday when Manchester United hosts Atletico Madrid. The two teams played to a 1-1 draw in the first leg, meaning there is everything left to play for in the second leg. Since away goals no longer count during the Champions League Knockout Stage, the winner of this match will advance.
Last Game Records
As mentioned, these teams played on February 23 in Madrid, with Atletico taking an early lead in the 7th minute, only for United to salvage a draw with a goal from youngster Anthony Elanga in the 80th minute.
Since that match, Manchester United has had one win, one loss, and one draw. But the Red Devils got themselves on track last weekend with a 3-2 win over Tottenham. Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid has won three in a row since that draw with United, including a 2-1 over Cadiz this past weekend.
Matchup Information
- 4:00 pm EST on Thursday, March 15, 2022
- Manchester, England
- Old Trafford
Team Leaders
Manchester United vs Atletico Madrid Betting Analysis
Manchester United Betting Analysis
The end of February and the first part of March were not particularly kind to Manchester United. The Red Devils had a disappointing draw with Watford, a team in the Premier League’s relegation zone, and then got embarrassed 4-1 against their intra-city rivals Manchester City. But a 3-2 win over Tottenham on Saturday surely gave Ralf Rangnick’s team a confidence boost while also keeping them one point out of fourth place in the Premier League.
The hero of Saturday’s win was Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored a hat trick to jump-start an attack that had grown stagnant in recent weeks. Of course, the Red Devils needed some magic from Ronaldo to put a stop to their three-match winless streak. That game was also just the third time in the last ten matches that Manchester United scored more than one goal in a match, as United has become heavily reliant on Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes.
Meanwhile, United ranks middle of the pack in the Premier League in goals allowed, conceding 38 goals in 29 matches. On top of that, the Red Devils gave up eight goals in six matches during the Group Stage of the Champions League despite winning their group. In fact, United has kept just two clean sheets in its last nine matches, and one of those came against Watford, which is in the Premier League relegation zone.
Atletico Madrid Betting Analysis
After a sluggish start to the season, Atletico Madrid is starting to hit its stride ahead of Tuesday’s showdown with Man U. Including their draw with United in the first leg; the Mattress Makers are unbeaten in their last five matches. That stretch includes four straight wins in La Liga matches, putting Atletico tied with Barcelona for third place in La Liga.
On the season, Atletico’s defensive stats don’t look all that great, and at times, that has held back the Mattress Makers. They currently rank 12th in La Liga in goals allowed, giving up 36 goals in 28 matches, which is not what we’ve seen from Diego Simeone’s team in the past. However, Atletico is moving in the right direction, keeping three clean sheets in their last six matches and only allowing three total goals during that stretch.
Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid ranks second in La Liga in goals scored with 52 in 28 matches despite scoring just seven times in six matches during the Champions League Group Stage. The tandem of Angel Correa and Luis Suarez has combined for 20 of those 52 goals, although both are currently facing injury-related questions. On the bright side, in 14 matches since the start of January, Atletico has scored at least two goals 11 times, as they’ve been able to showcase some of their depth.
Team Updates
Unfortunately for Atletico Madrid, they have a rather lengthy injury report these days. Correa is dealing with a foot injury but came off the bench over the weekend. But attacking players Thomas Lemar and Matheus Cunha are both unavailable at the moment.
Also, center-back Jose Gimenez left Atletico’s last game and is likely ruled out for Tuesday, joining Mario Hermoso and Sime Vrsaljko as defensive players who are unavailable due to injury. Likewise, midfielders Daniel Wass and Geoffrey Kondogbia continue to be absent from the squad.
As for Manchester United, Bruno Fernandes, Luke Shaw, and Scott McTominay were all absent from Saturday’s game. While all three have a chance to be back for Tuesday’s game, there are no guarantees.
- Manchester United has three wins in its last nine matches across all competitions.
- Atletico Madrid has five wins in its last seven matches across all competitions.
- Both teams have scored in seven of Manchester United’s last nine matches.
- Atletico Madrid has allowed three goals in its last six matches across all competitions.
Manchester United vs Atletico Madrid Betting Preview
Despite Manchester United’s big win on Saturday, Atletico Madrid would appear to have more momentum heading into Tuesday’s match. They have been a more than capable attacking side all season despite their injury issues and are starting to come together defensively.
On the other hand, the Red Devils have Ronaldo and will be playing at home in front of a crowd that should be reinvigorated after Saturday’s win.
Manchester United vs Atletico Madrid Betting Prediction
According to the Champions League betting odds, Manchester United are coming into the match as a clear home favorite with betting odds of -115.
In comparison, betting guides list Atletico Madrid’s moneyline at +245. There is also a moneyline of +220 if the match ends in a draw, which would require an extra 30 minutes and potentially a penalty kick shootout to see what team advances.
With Ronaldo coming off a big game and Manchester United playing at home, it’s tough to bet against them. One gets the feeling they will find a way to advance. But their overall form has been a little lacking recently, so they may not be trustworthy to play well two matches in a row. That gives Atletico good value to win or at least play well enough to force a draw on the road.
Therefore, betting on Atletico has to be one of the better Champions League picks you can make for this match!
If you love sports and want more sports betting information follow us as @InsidersBetDig on Twitter and sign up to our mailing list for free betting picks.