Football ManCity120The Uefa Champions League Round of 16 first legs conclude on Wednesday night when Atalanta host Real Madrid and Monchengladbach are at home to Manchester City.

 

 

 

Note all prices quoted are subject to change

 

Atalanta 1.35/1 Draw 27/10 Real Madrid 1.65/1

 

Atalanta finished as runners up to Liverpool in their group with Ajax third and Midtjylland a remote fourth. At face vaule the pick of their results was a 2-0 win at Anfield but Liverpool fielded a second string on that occasion. They were thrashed 5-0 by Liverpool in a home game but a 1-0 win at Ajax on Matchday 6 saw them through.

 

In Serie A Atalanta are again pushing for a top 4 finish and they are 10 points off the pace being set by Inter. They are the second top scorers in the division and a home record of 6 wins, 3 draws and 3 defeats has seen them score 30 goals and concede 18.

 

Real Madrid's group went to the wire and Real came through to top the quartet ahead of Gladbach with Shakhtar third and Inter a disappointing fourth. Real had to win 3 of their last 4 matches to make it through, including victory at home and away to Inter. They drew 2-2 at Monchengladbach and lost 2-0 at Shakhtar and a Matchday 6 win at home to the Bundesliga side proved sufficient.

 

Real have won their last 4 La Liga matches to move within 3 points of Atletico at the top of the standings although they have played 1 game more. Away from home they have won 8, drawn 4 and lost just 1 of their league matches, scoring 22 goals and conceding 12.

 

Real bowed out to Manchester City on away goals at this stage of last season's Champions League whilst Atalanta progressed to the quarter finals where they bowed out with some credit to PSG.

 

Verdict:

 

Atalanta have lost just 1 of their last 19 in all competitions and if you draw a line through a disastrous showing at home to Liverpool in the group stage they look to have the form to trouble Real.

 

The goals markets suggest a high scoring affair but with this being the first leg it might be a tighter encounter than those quotes suggest. I don't mind a nibble at the draw here.

 

Bets: Match result draw at 27/10.

 

 

Moncheglandbach 5.75/1 Draw 4.25/1 Manchester City 7/20

 

This game is being staged in Budapest due to German Covid protocols, a potentially big factor as we saw last week when Leipzig lost their first leg to Liverpool.

Gladbach did really win to come through the same group as Real Madrid, taking 8 points from their first 4 matches which proved just enough after defeats on Matchday's 5 and 6. They scored 10 unanswered goals in the 2 meetings with Shakhtar and drew 2-2 at Inter and home to Real to put themselves in a strong position before later results went their way in what was a chaotic quartet.

 

In the Bundesliga Gladbach reside outside of the top 6 with a record of 8 wins, 9 draws and 5 defeats.

 

City coasted throught their group ahead of Porto (who were 2-1 winners at home to Juve in last week's 1st leg) whilst Olimpiacos and Marseille never got in a blow. City won 5 and drew 1 of their group matches and were never extended and since then their domestic form has been blistering.

 

City are 10 points clear at the top of the EPL and a win at Arsenal at the weekend was their eighteenth consecutive victory in all competitions. They are also in the League Cup final and still very much involved in the FA Cup so a haul of 4 major trophies is still a possibility.

 

Verdict:

 

I can see City putting this tie to bed in the first leg. Neutral ground is another factor but the current form of the English side suggests to me they can find the net 3 times or more on the night.

 

Bets: Away team goals over 2.5 at 5/4

 

Note all prices quoted are subject to change

 

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