Atletico Madrid v Barcelona Predictions & Betting Odds 12th September 2015

Atleti to stiffle below-par Barca?

European Football

Atletico Madrid v Barcelona Betting Preview

The first high profile clash of the new La Liga season and with both Atletico and Barcelona having banked wins in their opening two matches it’s a great battle for supremacy as well. The mighty Catalans haven’t been at their devastating best so far this term, so can Atletico battle their way to a home three points against the title favourites?

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Atletico Madrid v Barcelona Betting Tips

Atletico have opened with wins over Sevilla and Las Palmas and both of those were clean sheet victories as well. So the solid defence is well in place and with Barcelona not having hit their impressive attacking heights yet it could push the game under 2.5 goals which is a price of 4/6 at Paddy Power. Atletico are are winless in 10 against Barcelona (D2 L8); their longest drought in top-flight history and even beating Barcelona when they aren’t playing well is a tough thing to ask of any team.

Atletico boss Diego Simeone has never beaten Barcelona as a La Liga manager (D2 L5)  and Los Colchoneros have have conceded more goals to Barca than any other opponent in their top-flight history (307). Since Diego Simeone took charge, Atletico have not lost any of their opening three games of a La Liga season and you know that they will be setting up defensively so could actually be a decent punt to pick up a draw. Atletico have scored a league-high three goals from outside the area this term and running in the anytime goalscorer market Antoine Griezmann is a 7/4 option for the home side.

Barcelona have only managed two goals in two games this season, which is their worst goal tally at this stage since 2008/09. They haven’t impressed yet with 1-0 wins over Athletic Bilbao and Malaga, where defender Thomas Vermaelen came to their rescue with a winner. Luis Suarez scored their other goal of the season and is a 6/4 anytime goalscorer quote behind outright favourite Lionel Messi. Lionel Messi has participated in his side’s last three La Liga goals against Atleti (two goals, one assist).

Barcelona are on a 16 match unbeaten run in the league, having won fourteen of those and they found the back of the net in each of those games in that sequence. On the road Barcelona are unbeaten in 11 (W10 D1), keeping eight clean sheets in the process. They just haven’t been flowing all that well so far this season and have needed 8.5 shots on target to score on average this season in La Liga, Atletico just 2.5, so can Messi and co find their groove and put a big three points on the board?

Atletico Madrid v Barcelona Betting Odds

Barcelona 13/10, Atletico Madrid 23/10, Darw 11/5

Atletico Madrid v Barcelona Predictions

Great looking game although it looks as if it will be a low scoring war of attrition. Barcelona did win all four meetings against Atleti last season and two of those wins were by a 1-0 scoreline. To their credit they have been playing poorly and still getting wins, but they could be frustrated to a draw by the home side.

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