Arsenal VS Atletico Madrid Match Prediction

Arsenal have never faced Atletico Madrid before in official competition, but they have met once in a friendly, back in August of 2009, in which the Gunners won 2-1.

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Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid Betting Tips and Odds

Bet365 have the following odds available for this match:

Arsenal are at 6/4 to win, a draw is at 12/5, and an Atletico Madrid win is at 17/10.

After another weekend last week in which Arsenal came up with a disappointing away showing, the Gunners will officially be parting ways with Arsene Wenger. The Frenchman has done well with them and took them to unspeakable levels, but it has been very difficult for them lately. They are in sixth spot in England, far off the Champions League places, so this tournament is now their hope of making it back to the elite level and would be the greatest goodbye gift he could give them now.

Atletico are in second in Spain's La Liga, only behind Barcelona. While the Catalans are not officially the champions yet, it is only a matter of time.  Atletico are going to be back in the Champions League one way or another, but this tournament is something that they very much want as they are trying to lay down a marker ahead of next season. This is a huge tie, and it's a competition that the club as a whole very much respects as it pushed them into the next tier of play some years back.

Arsenal have been very good all term at home, with the exception of just a few results.  The Manchester clubs have both beaten them at the Emirates, but that is not really much of an indictment upon them as those clubs have beaten a whole host of sides.  Ostersunds also defeated them in the round of 32 second leg, but that seems to have been a small oversight by the Gunners as they had won the first leg.  

Atletico began the season very well away from, but they have started to struggle some recently when playing outside Madrid.  They have lost three of the last four, failing to win any of those matches and have only one win in the last six total.  This includes a loss at Sporting Lisbon recently, and it is a real issue that needs to be corrected by them if they want to compete in London and to compete for top honors in Spain next season as well.

Both teams scoring, via Ladbrokes, is at 5/6.

Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid Prediction

Given just how awful Arsenal have been away from home all season long, they will kick off knowing full well that they have to get something from this match.  Atletico will be very stubborn, but the Gunners can nick it heading to Madrid.  

Correct Score Prediction: Arsenal 2-1 Atletico Madrid

Team News

Arsene Wenger will approach this match knowing that he will not have either Santi Cazorla or Henrikh Mkhitaryan in midfield. Other than those two, both out due to injury, the only definite to miss out is striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who is ineligible due to tournament rules.  Midfielder Jack Wilshere is also a doubt to play through, but he could return along with Mesut Ozil in the middle to bolster the Gunners.  One of the big talking points is whether Wenger might go with three at the back again, and while it is a possibility, it will be believed when it is seen again.

Key Man

Like so many of his teammates, Danny Welbeck has had far from a banner year in the Premier League this term, but that has not carried over to his play in this competition. The Englishman, who has got to be at best an outside shot for a place at the World Cup, will need to continue to perform in this tournament as he has been doing. He's scored three times in total, with two of them coming at home to AC Milan and the other coming away to CSKA in the previous round.

Team Form

Arsenal have three wins, a loss, and a draw in their last five matches:

4-1 home win vs West Ham
2-1 loss at Newcastle
2-2 draw at CSKA Moscow (UEL)
3-2 home win vs Southampton
4-1 home win vs CSKA Moscow (UEL)

Arsenal Predicted Starting Line-up

Expected Line-up: 4-3-3

Team News

Diego Simeone continues to miss out on having left back Filipe Luis, a very key member of this team, available to him to injury. Meanwhile, forward Diego Costa, who is dealing with another hamstring issue, could be set to miss out in this match against one of his personal arch rivals.  Outside of that, look for some serious rotation to be made- as well as a return to four at the back- after they rotated on Sunday against Betis in a draw.

Key Man

In the last week, Atleti have played twice, and in those games they have failed to register a single goal.  That is not something that can happen in London in order for them to progress, so they will need Antoine Griezmann to step up and lead them with goals here. The diminutive Frenchman has been superb all season long, and he has scored three goals in the Europa League so far. With Costa likely to be out, the buck will pass toward him to lead his side going forward against the Gunners.

Team Form

Atletico have two draws, two losses, and a win in their last five matches:

0-0 home draw vs Real Betis
3-0 loss at Real Sociedad
3-0 home win vs Levante
1-0 loss at Sporting Lisbon (UEL)
1-1 draw at Real Madrid

Atletico Madrid Predicted Starting Line-up

Expected Line-up: 4-4-2

With the news that Arsene Wenger is officially leaving Arsenal at season's end coming down, there are going to be rumors swirling and questions being asked. But it could just have a calming and unifying effect to both the team and its fans, and that could serve them well for this trip. They have been phenomenal for much of the season at home, and while Atletico are close to the level of the teams Arsenal have lost to at the Emirates, a result for the Gunners would be no surprise.

Arsenal have scored more goals than anyone in this year's Europa League scoring, 29 times, and they will be hoping that they can take advantage of Atletico's first loss- to Sporting- in the last round.