It looked like the first leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie between Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan would end in a scoreless draw. However, striker Marko Arnautovic, who had come on for the injured Marcus Thuram at halftime, knocked home a rebound in the 79th minute. That goal atoned for a number of missed chances that could have led to several Arnautovic goals. Now the teams head to Spain for the second leg, set for Madrid on Wednesday night. Read on to get our Champions betting insights on this showdown.
UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Betting Analysis: Atletico Madrid vs Inter Milan, Second Leg
Inter leads aggregate, 1-0
When: Wednesday, March 13, 2024, 3:00 pm ET
Where: Wanda Metropolitano, Madrid
TV: No National Broadcast
Radio: No National Broadcast
Live Stream: Paramount+
Odds to Advance to the Quarterfinals: Atletico 10/3 / Inter 1/5
Why should you bet on Inter?
Inter may have to play without Antoine Griezmann or Cesar Azpilicueta, as neither traveled with the team initially due to illness. Pablo Barrios is questionable but may return as his illness has largely passed. Atletico have just won once in their last five matches across all competitions. Athletic Club sent them out of the Copa del Rey, and then Cadiz defeated them in LaLiga play over the weekend. In contrast, Inter has a 13-win run going, including a 1-0 win at Bologna in Serie A over the weekend.
In the first leg, Inter dominated action from start to finish, possessing for 56% of the game. They outshot Atletico, 19-7 (5-0 on target), and things would have been much worse without the four saves that Atletico’s goalkeeper produced. Their 24-3-1 record in Serie A play this season shows their extended excellence; they stand 16 points clear of second-place AC Milan. If you like Inter, you see them continuing to get quality scoring chances and use their defense to keep Atletico from mounting much of a threat.
Champions League Inter Betting Lines to Win
Why should you put your money on Atletico?
Arnautovic will not be able to come off the bench and provide that scoring magic this time around for Inter, as he went down with an injury over the weekend and will not be available. Wingback Carlos Augusto is questionable (calf). On Atletico’s end, Jose Maria Gimenez is not available, and Thomas Lemar remains on the shelf.
Atletico sits in fourth in La Liga at this writing, but they have only managed two goals in their last three matches – a 2-1 home win over Real Betis on March 3. That came sandwiched between the 2-0 loss at Cadiz on Saturday and the 3-0 beating that Athletic Club delivered in Copa del Rey play. If you like Atletico, you think their defensively conservative style will elicit some mistakes out of Inter and turn their aggression into a couple of runs that end in goals.
Champions League Atletico Betting Lines to Win
Atletico Madrid vs Inter Milan Final Score and Prediction
Inter has a pedigree of winning in these types of competitions and has put together a torrid pace this season, with no signs of slowing down. Given the difficulties that Atletico has had in recent weeks stringing together goals, I like Inter to come in and dictate the rhythm once again. I predict a 2-0 Inter win – and a berth for Inter in the quarterfinals.
Inter 1-0 Atletico Madrid HIGHLIGHTS Champions League
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