Bayer Leverkusen v Atletico Madrid Betting Preview – UEFA Champions League 21st February 7.45pm
This is a fairly quick rematch between the two of these as it was only a couple of seasons ago in the UEFA Champions League that the two were paired together. That was also in the round of sixteen and it was Atletico Madrid who prevailed on that occasion. The Spaniards are a tough side to get the better of and the Germans will have their hands full trying to gain an advantage in this fixture. In fact, Leverkusen are looking to win their first ever last 16 tie in the competition. They are the underdogs though and they are going to have to pull something special out of their hats to give themselves a shot ahead of a difficult second leg at the Calderon.
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Bayer Leverkusen v Atletico Madrid Betting Tips
So these two have been paired up against and from the four previous times they have played, the honours are even betwen Leverkusen and Madrid. There have been two draws and one win each before and from those games, both have totalled three goals as well. So even stuff between them and it does suggest that this is going to be a low scoring affair out in Germany. Under 2.5 goals at Bet365 for the match up is a price of 8/15. Leverkusen have yet to win a tie in the last sixteen of the UEFA Champions League and they have taken some big hits at this stage, such as their 6-1 aggregate loss against PSG in the 2013/14 season and the 10-2 aggregate suffered in the 2011/12 appearance against Barcelona. They did remain unbeaten at home in the group stage this season with a W1 D2 record and they haven’t lost at home in Europe in any of their last ten going back to November 2014 (W5 D5).
Leverkusen hold a hold record of W7 D5 L5 against Spanish opposition and they have lost their last six two-legged ties against Spanish opponents as well. So they are going to have to go against history in this one if they are going to muddle through. There was a 1-1 aggregate draw between these two in the 2014/15 round of 16 which Atletico eventually got through after a penalty shoot out. Bayer Leverkusen are here for the fifth time in their last six UEFA Champions League campaigns but haven’t been past this stage since the 2001/02 season when they went on to reach the final. Their record in the knockout stage is poor as they have lost eight of their last nine Champions League knockout games but the one win in that sequence from them was a win over Atletico Madrid in that 2015 meeting. They are currently on an eight match unbeaten streak of form in the competition though but with just two wins and six draws, but that is their longest run of unbeaten form in the competition. In the Bet365 anytime goalscorer market, Javier Hernandez is a 9/4 option.
With Diego Simeone in charge, Atletico have never failed to get past the round of sixteen in the Champions League (2013/14, 2014/15, 2015/16) and since their return to the competition in that 2013/14 season, they have kept 25 clean sheets in 42 games. So you can have a decent out of 12/5 on Atletico to win to nil at Bet365. Backing them to just take a clean sheet is an 11/8 option with the bookmaker. Four of their five wins in their Champions League campaign this season have seen them win by a one goal margin which is a price of 11/4 at Bet365 to crop up in this one. In the anytime goalscorer market there is a price of 6/4 on Antoine Griezmann and 13/8 on Kevin Gameiro. Antoine Griezmann has been involved in 54% of Atlético’s Champions League goals since last season, scoring 10 and assisting three of his side’s 24 goals.
Atlético have lost on their last three visits to Germany where their record reads P18 W5 D3 L10. Overall – both home and away – it is P38 W18 D6 L14. Of their last 20 away games in the UEFA Champions League, Atletico have won nine and drawn five so that just highlights how difficult it is to take them down. Atletico have also won each of their last seven two-legged ties against German sides as well so there are strong reasons to back Los Colchoneros to get through the tie. Just building a base in this one to bring the tie home in the second leg is likely going to be the order of the day for Simeone’s men. In the Bet365 correct score market an Atletico Madrid 1-0 result is a good price of 5/1. Since the start of 2016, Atlético Madrid have never scored more than one goal away from home in the Champions League (6 games) so that looks to around the right mark.
Bayer Leverkusen v Atletico Madrid Betting Odds
Atletico Madrid 13/10, Draw 21/10, Bayer Leverkusen 12/5
Bayer Leverkusen v Atletico Madrid Predictions
Atletico are just such a hard side to break down and they are one of the best in dealing with away games in the competition. They are likely to go and steal a one goal margin victory in the game in Germany. Leverkusen haven’t lost this season at home but they are going to have a massive struggle in trying to get the better of the Spaniards. A 1-0 correct score for the visitors is going to have huge appeal as well.
