FC Midtylland vs Atalanta
FC Midtylland vs Atalanta Wednesday 21st October 2020 – 20:00 Kick-Off
UEFA Champions League Group D
Pick: Over 3.5 Goals
Odds: 23/20
Bookmaker: BetVictor
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 19th October 2020)
Preview: Nobody expects a dull encounter inside MCH Arena, Denmark, on Wednesday as two teams who have plundered their fair share of goals so far this season meet on Matchday 1 in Group D of the UEFA Champions League. Atalanta, a beaten quarter-finalist in this competition last season, travel to Midtjylland as the firm favourites.
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Table of Contents
Midtjylland Preview – Danish champs found form at the right time?
Denmark’s first representative in the group stage of the Champions League since 2016, and fifth overall, Midtjylland know the road ahead is likely to be bumpy but is one they will nevertheless relish. The reigning Danish Superliga winners are one of four clubs making their group stage debuts, after a successful qualifying campaign that included three clean sheets in four matches as well as a dramatic play-off victory.
Having secured a creditable goalless draw in the Czech Republic, Brian Priske knew his side were heading out on the away goals rule with the score locked at 1-1 in the second-leg of the play-off. That was until some late intervention saw this team notch three times late on, all coming from the 84th minute onwards, to oust Slavia Prague 4-1 on aggregate and book a spot in the group stages for the first time in their history.
The start to the relatively new domestic season initially begun with a stutter, meanwhile, losing their opening encounter of the 2020-21 Danish Superliga. Since then, however, Ulvene (The Wolves) have chalked up a four-game unbeaten run (W3 D1), recording three wins from three at MCH Arena. The latest a 3-1 success against Odense this past weekend to climb to within two points of top spot.
Atalanta Preview – Le Dea remain blockbuster viewing?
The club from Bergamo, located in northern Italy, were the surprise package last time around, somehow progressing as far as the quarter-finals despite shaping as though they wouldn’t even make it beyond the group at one stage. Gian Piero Gasperini and his swashbuckling side caught plenty by surprise, not least Valencia who shipped eight goals across their round of 16 tie, and are a must-watch once again.
In last season’s group stage, Atalanta would sneak through to the knockout phase in spite of losing their first three group games – conceding a combined 11 times across those matches – before rallying to take seven of the final nine points. Only three of those points were earned on the road, though, as Le Dea lost heavily at Dinamo Zagreb (4-0) and Man City (5-1) prior to defeating Shakhtar Donetsk (0-3).
Domestically, Atalanta would make a blistering start to 2020-21, scoring four or more in each of their first three Serie A contests to register the full quota of nine points. With confidence seemingly flowing through this team, it was therefore a shock to the system – for them and us – when they went down emphatically this past weekend in Naples, suffering a crushing 4-1 defeat to Napoli ahead of Wednesday’s Group D opener.
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FC Midtjylland vs Atalanta Betting Advice
On one hand we have an Atalanta side who play aggressively on the front foot, looking to not only attack at every given opportunity but with intent and often in formidable numbers. While on the other we have group stage debutantes Midtjylland, whom, during the qualifying rounds, nullified the opposition in three of four encounters. This is a considerable step up for the latter, however, who have creaked more recently.
FC Midtjylland vs Atalanta – Key Facts
- Danish side Midtjylland have won both of their two home encounters in Europe this season (3-0 vs Young Boys & 4-1 vs Slavia Prague), after managing only one win across the previous five at home (D2 L2).
- Italian side Atalanta lost two of their three away group matches in last season’s Champions League, with those games averaging 4.33 goals.
- Wednesday will mark the first meeting of the two clubs. Midtjylland are the current champions of Denmark whereas Atalanta were third in Serie A last term.
It is no clean sheet, and at least four goals in the match, in each of the past three games involving Midtjylland. Meanwhile Atalanta’s four Serie A contests this season have produced a barely believable 23 goals, with all four delivering a minimum of five match goals. Therefore, and it seems a very obvious prediction, goals are very much expected when these teams meet for the very first time.
Best Betting Odds – FC Midtjylland vs Atalanta
FC Midtjylland – 5/1 (Betfair)
Draw – 19/5 (BetFred)
Atalanta – 11/20 (Unibet)
