2014 and 2016 Champions League finalists Atletico Madrid travel to Azerbaijan this week as they take on Qarabag in Group C. Having failed to register a win from either of their opening two encounters, the pressure is on Diego Simeone and his men to defeat one of the tournaments minnows.
Champions League – Baku National Stadium, Baku – Wednesday 18th October – 19:45 UK Time
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Draw Best Odd of: 11/2 at Ladbrokes |
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Qarabag FK
Atletico MadridMatch Preview
Azerbaijan champions Qarabag take on Atletico Madrid on Wednesday evening, with both teams searching for a first Champions League win of the campaign so far. However, with the home side being the clear underdogs for victory, the emphasis will be on the Spanish giants to attack from the off. There are a number of appealing betting markets surrounding the match as a result, but first, let’s take a closer look at the two teams, starting with the home side.
Qarabag FK Team News & Form
Qarabag opened their campaign with a 6-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge, however Gurban Gurbanov’s side were unlucky to not come away with anything from their encounter with Roma last time around. Brazilian midfielder Pedro Henrique and South African forward Dino Ndlovu are likely to be the biggest attacking threats for the home side, with their defensive issues the main concern for fans ahead of this important tie. Despite not having any star names to speak of, Qarabag are a team full of hard working players, ensuring that it will not be an easy ride for the visitors come Wednesday evening. Qarabag come into this match off the back of a comfortable 2-0 victory over Inter Baki in the Azerbaijan top-flight.
Atletico Madrid Team News & Form
Atletico followed up a goalless draw in Rome with a surprise home defeat against Antonio Conte’s Chelsea, with the Spanish side now under pressure to collect their first three points of the campaign, before it is too late. Diego Simeone’s side are unbeaten in La Liga so far this season, however four draws mean that they already find themselves six points off the top of the table. They did show significant signs of improvement against Barcelona last time around however, with only a late Luis Suarez goal denying them all three points. The likes of Antoine Griezmann, Koke and Saul Niguez are likely to make up an imposing line-up in Azerbaijan, with the former finalists hoping not to become an early casualty in this season’s Champions League.
Head to Head
The two teams have never previously met in any competitive fixture, with Atletico Madrid’s trip to Azerbaijan this week a completely new venture for the Spanish giants and former Champions League finalists. As a result, there are no conclusions to be made in this area when looking to make predictions surrounding this encounter.
Betting Odds and Predictions
With Atletico being the overwhelming favourites for victory with the majority of bookmakers, with Ladbrokes offering the Spanish side odds of 2/9, it is worth looking further afield when it comes to wagering on this match. The Azerbaijan side can be backed at odds of 18 with the same bookmakers, while betting on their being over 2.5 goals is another attractive market. Finally, betting on Antonie Griezmann to score at any point during the 90 minutes is available at William Hill, with odds of 8/13 on offer.
Top Betting Tip
Our top betting tip for the match is to bet on Atletico Madrid to win and over 2.5 goals being scored, which can be found at odds of 4/5 at Ladbrokes.