Introduction
A late goal from substitute Marko Arnautovic broke Atletico’s stubborn resistance in the first leg of this Champions League round of 16 tie. The striker eventually redeemed himself after numerous missed chances by squeezing the ball past Jan Oblak in the 79th minute. Atletico may have set up to contain Inter in that first leg game, but they need to score and win the match here to have any chance of progressing to the next round. This means that we do not expect to see a repeat of the low-scoring first leg tie.
About the game
Inter Milan may have been made to work for that first leg win, but they have now won each of their last 12 games in all competitions. Simone Inzaghi’s men are having a brilliant season, sitting top of the Serie A table with a considerable cushion over second place. They are the first Serie A side since 2016 to win each of their first nine matches in a calendar year. The Italians have only lost two of the thirty-seven competitive games they have played this season. It was easy to see why in the first leg. Inter completely dominated Atletico, leaving the Italians feeling indebted to goalkeeper Jan Oblak for keeping the scoreline respectable. The domination was complete as the Spaniards also failed to get a single shot on target for the first time in a Champions League match this season.
That made it nine clean sheets for Inter in the last 14 games in this competition, so they will be fairly comfortable with the slender 1-0 advantage. Indeed, Inzaghi’s team are unbeaten away from home in all competitions this season. They drew away at both Benfica and Real Sociedad in the group stages and beat Salzburg in Austria. Overall, they have won each of their five away games in all competitions. However, Atletico have demonstrated over the years that they are a difficult side to beat on home soil. While they have already lost 10 games in all competitions this season, none of those defeats have come at the Wanda Metropolitano. Diego Simeone’s men won each of their three home games in the group stages with wins against Feyenoord (3-2), Celtic (6-0), and Lazio (2-0). They have won all their last seven home games in all competitions.
The hosts’ impressive home records mean that this game looks like a daunting task for the visitors. However, we believe Inter have a good chance at qualification. Atletico are not the Simeone team of old, and they have actually played a more open and attacking brand of football this season. They need to score in this game, so there is little choice than to attack Inter. The Italians can handle this as they can bank on the experience of last season’s run to the final to stay in the game and then exploit any spaces left behind as the hosts try to get a goal.
The Best Betting Odds for Atletico Madrid vs Inter Milan
| Markets | Odds | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atletico Madrid win |
2.97 
|
2.95 
|
2.95 
|
2.952 
|
3.06 
|
|
| Draw |
3.30
|
3.15
|
3.35
|
3.20
|
3.335
|
|
| Inter Milan win |
2.48
|
2.52
|
2.44
|
2.48
|
2.569
|
|
| Over 2.5 |
2.07
|
2.10
|
2.07
|
2.06
|
2.135
|
|
| Over 2.5 |
2.07
|
2.10
|
2.07
|
2.06
|
2.135
|
|
| Over 2.5 |
2.07
|
2.10
|
2.07
|
2.06
|
2.135
|
|
Conclusion
Atletico will most likely come into this game without Jose Gimenez, who is one of the few natural center backs left at the club. Inter, on the other hand, will have the full complement of players. Marcus Thuram and Francesco Acerbi have already made their returns in last weekend’s win over Genoa, and Hakan Calhanoglu is expected to make a timely return against Bologna on Saturday. We think Inter have the personnel and momentum to avoid a defeat here and go through to the next round.
Samuel Okunsolawo is an iGaming expert with over six years of experience in content writing. His passion for simplifying complex concepts makes his articles accessible and useful for beginners and experts alike. With a focus on sports betting trends and reliable betting sites, Samuel’s articles are an excellent resource for those seeking guidance and staying up to date in the world of iGaming.