Champions League: Can Juventus Break Through the Atleti Brick Wall?

Juventus vs Atletico Madrid

The Juventus Stadium in Turin is the place to be on Tuesday night when Atletico Madrid arrives in the hope of protecting a first leg lead in its Champions League clash with the Old Lady.

Two late goals courtesy of Atleti’s Uruguayan centre backs tipped the balance of this tie in the La Liga team’s direction. Diego Simeone’s side is as low as 1.30 to advance to the next round with Juventus at 3.50. But the Spaniards will be taking nothing for granted. Both teams arrive with five wins in the last six, the difference being that Atleti has won its last five including that first leg victory.

But Juventus is a powerful force at home; and when the Turin crowd starts to roar it can be an intimidating place for the bravest of souls.

It’s the perfect scenario for SBOBET Champions League fans, and an early goal for the Bianconeri would set up a pulsating night of word class football. But that is easier said than done when you are trying to break down the best defence in Europe.

Talking Points

The Champions League is wide open

With PSG and Real Madrid both making shock exits in the Round of 16 the recent Champions League 2019 news has picked over the wreckage of those two giants’ crash to earth. Los Blancos were going for a fourth consecutive title while the Ligue 1 billionaires thought this was their year to break through the glass ceiling, but somehow conspired to give away a two goal advantage to Manchester United who progressed with a late penalty in Paris.

Max Allegri doesn’t want his side to be the next big name to exit at the first knockout stage. Juventus pretty much has the Scudetto in the bag, moving 19 points clear of second placed Napoli after beating Udinese 4-1 at the weekend. And the boss took the chance to rest a lot of his big players. As well as Cristiano Ronaldo, defenders Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci started on the bench, though Bonucci was brought on in the first half to replace the injured Andrea Barzagli.

Can the Old Lady satisfy Juventus vs Atletico Madrid betting odds and win in Allianz Stadium? — Blaise Matuidi is a key man to support the Old Lady’s attacks as they face Atletico Madrid

He’ll have a big part to play as an Atleti away goal would almost certainly signal the end of Juve’s campaign. And then he must hope his front men can do the business.

Paulo Dybala already has five goals in the tournament but Ronaldo has only one, and I do expect Blaise Matuidi to have an impact from the middle of the park. The tough tackling Frenchman was on target against Udinese.

Atleti defence holds the key

Diego Simeone also rested several players in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Leganes, courtesy of a Saul Niguez goal. He started with Saul on the bench and also rested Alvaro Morata and Thomas Lemar, while Diego Godin and Koke were both suspended.

Morata has made a great start to his spell at Atleti having switched from Chelsea and, alongside Antoine Griezmann, he represents one of Atleti’s most potent threats. But it’s the goalkeeper Jan Oblak and centre backs Diego Godin and Jose Maria Gimenez who are the visitors’ really big players. While they both scored in the home leg, Godin and Gimenez is an immense defensive pairing.

They have only conceded 17 goals in 27 league games, and Ronaldo knows all about the problem of trying to break down that wall.

History

Both teams have reached the Champions League final over the past three years and both succumbed to Los Blancos. In fact, the Bianconeri has contested the final on two of the last four occasions. They have won the tournament twice, the last time in 1996 but have been beaten finalists seven times, more than any other club.

Atleti made the final twice in three years, 2014 and 2016 and three times in total, but is yet to win Europe’s premier competition.

But there is a good omen for the Spaniards. In the three games since 2014 Atletico Madrid has won two and the other was drawn.

Betting Tip

	Juventus vs Atletico Madrid	Total Goal 2-3 @ 1.91
	March 13 04:00 (GMT+8)

This was always shaping up to be the tie of the Round of 16 and the first leg lead for Atleti makes it all the more fascinating. The latest Juventus vs Atletico Madrid betting odds have the hosts to win at 1.74, with the draw at 3.55 and Atletico out there at 4.70.

Of course, Simeone’s team doesn’t need to win, or even draw; they just need to keep the Bianconeri at arms length. But Juventus needs to go for it and I have a sneaking suspicion both teams will score.