Chelsea v Atletico Madrid Betting Preview – UEFA Champions League 5th December 7.45pm
There is a lot riding on this game at the Bridge on Tuesday night. Chelsea have already booked a place in the next round of the competition but in order to get through as the group winners, they have to produce a win this home fixture. The victory guarantees them top spot. As for Atletico, they are fighting just to stay in the competition as they need maximum points and then hope that Roma don’t end up in second place or the Spaniards will be missing from the round of sixteen.
Chelsea v Atletico Madrid Betting Tips
The set up for this match day six affair at Stamford Bridge could produce an exciting climax. That is because both sides need a win in this one. Chelsea have already confirmed progress through to the next round of the competition as they beat Karabakh 4-0 on match day five. So they are through but they have to get a home win in this one to guarantee that they finish top of the group. They will win the group if Roma fails to beat Karabakh, which isn’t likely so the Blues will have to go for the win. The last couple of encounters between Chelsea and Atletico were in the 2013/14 semi finals and after a 0-0 draw in Spain, the Blues lost 2-1 at home despite taking the lead in the match. Chelsea snatched a dramatic late win out in Spain against Atletico in this season’s earlier group stage meeting, with Michy Batshuayi getting the crucial strike with just about the last kick of the game. The Blues had been underdogs for that win. The 1-1 draw in the Coral correct score market is the shortest priced option for this reverse fixture.
The Blues have picked up four points from their two previous home games in the Group Stage so far this season, thumping Karabakh before playing out that thrilling 3-3 draw with Roma. Both teams to score at Coral for this one returns a price of 4/5 and given that Chelsea have struggled for clean sheets, and Atletico need to attack, that is pretty good value. Overall the Blues are W9 D4 L2 on home soil against Spanish visitors and one of the two losses there in that record was against Atletico in that aforementioned 2014 meeting. The other defeat suffered in that sequence was against Barcelona in the 2005/06 round of 16. This probably won’t be a comfortable night for the Blues and they can’t take this lightly. They are gathering pace on the domestic front with a W7 D1 record in their last eight and Eden Hazard is bang in form with six goals in his last six appearances for club and country. Hazard is a 7/4 anytime goalscorer option with Alvaro Morata at 11/8. There will be questions asked of the Blues, can they produce the goods on home soil?
The Spaniards are desperate for the victory because a win is the only way that they get through to the next round. That won’t guarantee them progress though because they would need Roma to not finish in second place as well. The only way they get through is if they win this and Roma don’t beat Karabakh. If Roma draw and Atleti do win, that would leave Atletico and Roma both on nine points, but the Spaniards would get second place because of the superior head to head over the Italians. Atletico have played 0-0 draws at both Roma and Karabakh on their travels so far in the Champions League group stage and overall from their five games played in the campaign, they have netted just the two goals. So there have been clear struggles for them and they haven’t been in great away form in Europe, winning only three of their last eleven Champions League away matches (D4 L4) which is a little bit of a surprising stat really. They had put together a six match unbeaten streak of form against English sides before they lost against Chelsea earlier in the group stage. That was boss Diego Simeone’s first ever managerial loss against an English side as well. Atletico are on a four match winning streak in all competitions, with a clean sheet in each of their last five. They have drawn ten of their 21 matches this season. Antoine Griezmann has four goals in his last three games for the club, and he is a 2/1 anytime goalscorer option.
Chelsea v Atletico Madrid Betting Odds
Chelsea even money, Draw 13/5, Atletico Madrid 5/2
Chelsea v Atletico Madrid Predictions
Chelsea may just miss out on the victory that will guarantee them top spot and that is because Atletico needs a big performance in London. The Spaniards have been a little bit out of sorts this season in the competition and may fall short of getting the win they need to potentially stay in the tournament. Back the draw in the match outright.
