Atletico Madrid Vs Villarreal
Sunday 23rd February 2020 – 20:00 Kick-Off
Spanish La Liga
Pick: Villarreal or Draw (Double Chance)
Odds: 5/4
Bookmaker: Sportingbet
(All betting odds displayed were correct at time of writing: 19th february 2020 at 17:35)
Preview: Attempting to follow up their stunning performance in Europe during the week are Atletico Madrid, who would strengthen their top-four prospects with another win on Sunday at home to a dangerous Villarreal.
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Table of Contents
Atletico Madrid Preview – Can Los Colchoneros build on midweek success?
No doubt buoyed by their impressive 1-0 victory in the first-leg of their Champions League last-sixteen clash with Liverpool on Tuesday, Atletico Madrid (4th – W10 D10 L4) host a Villarreal side who are only two points worse off than themselves. Essentially this is a battle between a direct rival for a top-four finish, something which would have been viewed as a minimum requirement from this season but is beginning to look like the limit of their ambitions.
That is because Real Madrid are thirteen points clear of them at the summit of La Liga, an insurmountable deficit for this inconsistent Atletico side. This was typified in midweek when deservedly beating Liverpool at the Wanda Metropolitano, overcoming the defending European champions thanks to a scruffy early goal from Saul Nigez. A win that was achieved despite some questionable form in the build-up, having previously managed one win in seven games in all competitions.
Perhaps the euphoria of Tuesday can act as some sort of catalyst? It’s clearly possible, although their season as a whole tells us it is just as likely they come unstuck this weekend. After all, Diego Simone’s men approach Sunday with one win from their last five matches in La Liga (W1 D2 L2) – that a narrow success at home to Granada, who have lost seven on the spin away from home – and scored only three times during this spell.
Villarreal Preview – Goals galore whenever Yellow Submarine feature?
The last time I previewed a game involving Villarreal (6th – W11 D5 L8) was back in early December, when the club were situated precariously above the La Liga relegation places following a dismal run comprising of four defeats in five. Despite these woes, I remember hinting at better things to come, with their underlying process much better than their results suggested. Unfortunately for me, a 0-0 draw was to follow – however, since that goalless affair it would be fair to say this team hasn’t looked back.
Rather aptly, that dour stalemate was in the reverse of this fixture. Three consecutive victories followed thereafter, though, as The Yellow Submarine soon embarked on a superb sequence of six wins from the next eight league matches (W6 D1 L1) to surge up the standings. Now the club are seriously contemplating a return to Europe, sat only two points off fourth-placed Atletico Madrid in sixth after last week’s 2-1 home win against Levante.
Even more impressive has been the manner in which their recent turnaround has been achieved. Villarreal are the league’s entertainers this season, with 75 per cent of games involving them featuring three or more goals. The same percentage applies to both teams scoring, which has landed in each of their last six contests. It would also constitute as a surprise were they not to somehow find a way of breaching a stubborn Atleti rearguard on Sunday, having netted in all 12 La Liga away games in 2019-20.
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Atletico Madrid Vs Villarreal Betting Advice
It wasn’t pretty, but it sure was effective. How many times has that been said about an Atletico Madrid victory in recent times? Tuesday’s win over Liverpool was a huge boost to morale, especially for a team which hadn’t been in particularly sharp form – that only a second win in eight games in all competitions (W2 D4 L2). Goals are still scarce however, netting more than once inside 90 minutes in just one of those eight encounters.
Atletico Madrid Vs Villarreal – Key Facts
- In La Liga, Atletico Madrid have won one of their last five matches (W1 D2 L2). They were held to a 2-2 draw away to Valencia last time out.
- Six wins from their previous eight matches in La Liga is the form Villarreal take into this weekend, with The Yellow Submarine scoring in all 12 away fixtures thus far.
- Last season was the first time Atletico Madrid had registered a home win over Villarreal for five seasons in La Liga (D2 L2 previously).
Atletico displayed resilience in abundance during the week but needed to expend a lot of energy defending and chasing the ball for large periods. That could have a knock-on effect here, facing an in-form opponent which has six wins in eight league games and certainly knows where the goal is. Villarreal look underrated here – they’ve lost on one of their previous five visits to Atletico Madrid in La Liga and offer a considerable goal threat, netting 17 more than their opponents throughout the season and in all 12 away fixtures.
Best Betting Odds for Atletico Madrid Vs Villarreal
Atletico Madrid – 4/6 Betway
Draw – 14/5 Sportingbet
Villarreal – 19/4 Unibet
