Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid Betting Tip 1 – Wednesday 22 April

Champions League Tips

Real Madrid would have been pleased with their performance in the first leg of their Champions League quarter final against rivals Atletico, but there will also be a bit of disappointment that they failed to score what would have been a crucial away goal. As the never managed to score, it places extra pressure on them playing at home in the second leg knowing any goal from Atletico would count double. Real will certainly have to defend better than they managed in their last home game in this competition when conceding four goals to Schalke. That was their first defeat in the Champions League at the Bernabeu since losing to Bayern Munich back in April 2012. Between those two defeats the current European champions had won 13 and drawn two, scoring 42.

Despite riding their luck a few times in the first half, it was near enough mission accomplished for Diego Simeone and his Atletico Madrid players by keeping their visitors to nil. Of course they would preferred to have taken a lead into the second leg but there is no doubt that keeping s clean sheet was their main priority. They travel to their bitter city rivals in the knowledge that they are the only Spanish team who have won at the Bernabeu this season, winning 2-1 back in September. That win means they are now unbeaten in their last three, and lost just once of their last six, visits. It’s a far cry from their record before the last half dozen games, losing the six that preceded them. It is another indication of how far they have progressed over the last couple of season’s and will give them great confidence of getting another huge result on Wednesday.

Despite their glittering squad packed full of quality, Real Madrid are going to be missing three key players for this match. Gareth Bale will be absent for this match and possibly both legs of the semi-final after picking up an injury in Real’s league game against Malaga on Saturday. Although they won the game 3-1, it could well come at a cost as Luka Modric was also injured in the game. The Croatian midfielder is hugely influential in the midfield and could be out even longer. Karim Benzema also misses out but the striker should be fit to return for the semi-final should his team-mates successfully negotiate their passage through. Without them, Carlo Ancelotti may look to Cristiano Ronaldo to play as an out-and- out striker.

Atletico’s away form in this competition this season has not been as good as last year. They went the full campaign undefeated, last time around, recording impressive results away to Chelsea and Barcelona. It has not been quite as impressive on the road for them this season having already lost twice. Those defeats came against Olympiakos in the group stage before losing the first leg of their last-16 round tie against Bayer Leverkusen in Germany. That will be a concern for the manager but when you consider the players that they lost in the close season, there was bound to be some sort of impact on results and it’s possible that extra bit if qualify has been missing in the Champions League, particularly.

This is going to be another huge encounter between two clubs who have contested plenty in recent seasons. The home side are going to have to call upon some of their less high-profile players to step up to the plate and make a difference with the absence of their stars. I expect Atletico to come and play as they have on their last few visits to the Bernabeu by soaking up pressure and counter-attacking with real intensity when they break up play. There’s no doubt Simeone has has the upper hand in this fixture, of late, but I think this could be one game too far for Altetico. Real started last week’s first leg with real purpose and have picked up their domestic performances as well over the last month. Despite missing key players, I fancy the current holders to progress to the semi-finals, possibly in a low-scoring affair.

Real Madrid 10/11 @ Bet365