Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid Prediction and Champions League Preview | May 5

Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid Betting Preview

With the World Cup heading to North America this summer, GoldSheet will be ramping up its soccer coverage over the next few weeks. WagerTalk handicapper and GoldSheet’s featured writer Bruce Marshall shares his thoughts on how Tuesday’s Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid clash in the UEFA Champions League will shake out.

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Arsenal’s Current Form

So, is all really okay again at Arsenal? So the thinking seems to be going at the Emirates after the Gunners whipped Fulham 3-0 on Saturday to extend their lead atop the EPL (with better news coming on Monday as chasing Man City could only draw, miraculously so, at Everton; even still with a match in hand, City no longer controls its destiny in the Premier League).

Mikel Arteta was all-out vs. the Cottagers as all of the first-teamers were featured, but after playing a 58th match in all competitions this season, the skeptics in London wonder if the weekend result was more of a one-off, given Arsenal had looked a tired team for the previous month, not to mention that Fulham are favorite whipping-posts, winless their last 30-odd visiting the Emirates or the old Highbury.

Off to a quick lead withing ten minutes, Arsenal gained early control and seized momentum as the lead pushed to 3-0 by intermission. The return to active duty of Bukayo Saka is a plus for Arsenal, but we suspect the Gunners are going to be a bit vulnerable if they don’t jump off quickly as they did vs. Fulham.

Atletico Madrid’s Current Form

To the contrary, Diego Simeone fielded a completely-changed eleven in La Liga for Atletico de Madrid’s match at Valencia, resting all of his starters as Atleti rolled 2-0.

Though Simeone’s squad has played a comparable number of matches this season, the regulars did get a bit of a rest on the weekend, which could prove a plus on Tuesday.

Simeone’s side, as customary, has the ability to fluster Arsenal, and cannot underestimate how well “El Cholo” often able to circle the wagons, as he did six years ago against favored Liverpool at Anfield to advance in a brave second-leg display on the eve of the Covid breakout.

Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid Prediction

There certainly wasn’t much separating these sides in the 1-1 first leg at the Metropolitano last week, with possession and shots comparable, and if anything, Atleti unfortunate not to have gone up 2-1 in the second half when Antoine Griezmann hit the post.

Arteta, of course, thought the VAR took a legit spot-kick away deep in the second half when Dávid Hancko clipped Eberechi Eze, who went down in the box, only for the original ruling to be reversed (which we thought a proper reversal, for what that’s worth).

We still maintain this isn’t the same Arsenal that put four past Jan Oblak in October in a 13-minute span of the second half; we haven’t seen that version of the Gunners in months. Plus, as noted, not giving the first-teamers a rest on the weekend as did Atleti’s regulars.

We wouldn’t be surprised if this one requires overtime, and while we could envision another 1-1, our preference would simply be Atleti +0.5 goals on the spread at +125.

Under 2.5 goals at -115 looks decent business to us as well, and if looking to have some fun with a couple of flyers, another 1-1 (on 90 minutes) would return +650, while the matchup being eventually decided on penalties would fetch a similar +600.

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