Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona – Over 2.5 Goals & Both Teams to Score (-110, 20)*
Barcelona and Atletico Madrid have already played twice in the Hansi Flick era, and both encounters delivered plenty of fireworks. Barcelona won 2-1 in one game and the other finished in a wild 4-4 draw. Given the circumstances surrounding this matchup, I expect another high-scoring contest.
Atletico Madrid are coming off a grueling midweek Champions League battle with Real Madrid, which could leave them vulnerable here. Meanwhile, Barcelona have had no issues creating chances against them, and that trend should continue.
Barcelona have been prolific on the road across all competitions, scoring an average of three goals per game while conceding 1.22. Against stronger opposition, they have shown defensive weaknesses. In their last 10 away games against teams in the top half of the table, they have conceded 1.5 goals per game.
One of Barcelona’s biggest problems is their high defensive line, which leaves them exposed to counterattacks and high-quality chances for the opposition. Atletico Madrid are one of the best counterattacking teams in La Liga and should be able to take advantage of that.
Atletico have been strong at home, scoring 1.95 goals per 90 minutes across all competitions. They also rank as the fourth-best team in La Liga for open-play chance creation.
Barcelona’s team news is positive with no automatic starters missing. Most importantly, Lamine Yamal is set to start. With the 17-year-old on the pitch, Barcelona have averaged an incredible 3.29 goals per 90 minutes. His impact has been nothing short of surreal. Raphinha is also having an outstanding season with 44 goal contributions and is putting himself in the Ballon d’Or conversation.
Everything points to another high-scoring affair between these two sides.
Ylose Soccer expert Neil Mac has been delivering profits month on month with his European Soccer expertise.. Follow all his plays from the Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga, Ligue 1 Serie A, Champions League, Europa League and Internationals with his weekly package below