Atletico Madrid are looking to protect their lead, and earn a win against Borussia Dortmund, having a one-goal lead in their series. Their first leg of these two teams ended in a 2-1 win for Atletico, which gave them the confidence here. However, having one-goal lead for them is not a safe lead, so they cannot be overconfident here. Additionally, Atletico are in a three-game winning run across all contests, giving them momentum here. Meanwhile, for Dortmund, they need to earn a win here or they will lose their chances of earning a semis spot. Fortunately, Dortmund are coming into this game from a win in their domestic league, giving them confidence here. The meeting between these two teams is on April 17, 2024, at 3:00 AM (GMT+8).
Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid’s dominance in the first leg of their Champions League match against Real Madrid is expected to be tested in the second leg. The team, led by Diego Simeone, has responded well to their 3-0 defeat to Barcelona and has won their last two league games against Villarreal and Girona. They currently sit fourth in the table, five points ahead of fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao. In the last-16 stage of the competition, Atletico defeated Inter Milan in a penalty shootout. The team also went unbeaten in the group stage, accumulating 14 points from six matches. However, Atletico failed to advance to the final eight since their semi-final against Real Madrid in 2016-17. The team is currently in charge of their own destiny in the top four.
Atletico’s squad is missing Memphis Depay, Thomas Lemar, and Marcos Paulo due to a muscular problem. Mario Hermoso returned against Girona, and Saul Niguez needs a late fitness test. Pablo Barrios returns, and Jose Gimenez, Cesar Azpilicueta, Marcos Llorente, Axel Witsel, Lino, and Alvaro Morata are set to return.
Borussia Dortmund
Dortmund, led by Rodrigo De Paul and Samuel Lino, secured a two-goal lead in their quarter-final match against Atletico. However, BVB improved in the second period, with Sebastian Haller’s goal in the 81st minute. Dortmund, led by Edin Terzic, entered the match with a home advantage. They have a 2-1 victory over Borussia Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga, leaving them fifth in the table. Dortmund won the last-16 stage of this season’s competition, with a 3-1 aggregate win. They also finished ahead of Paris Saint-Germain in the group stage, avoiding AC Milan’s Europa League spot. BVB has not progressed past the quarter-finals of the Champions League since 2012-13, losing 2-1 to Bayern Munich and being knocked out of last season’s tournament by Chelsea.
Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho is expected to return to the team on Tuesday, while Manchester United’s Haller may miss the match due to a knock. Fit-again Donyell Malen and Julian Brandt are also in contention for midfield. Malen has scored more times than Fullkrug for BVB this season.
Prediction:
Atletico Madrid (1.0)
Odds: -0.85
Atletico Madrid to win on 3-1 aggregate
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