Atletico Madrid VS Inter Milan Match Prediction
2018-08-11
19:05:00
Atletico Madrid
VS
Inter Milan
Our Prediction Tip
Atletico Madrid will win this match.
2018-08-1119:05:00 Atletico Madrid will win this match.
Atletico Madrid and Inter have met just once before, in the 2010 UEFA Super Cup final. Atletico won 2-0 thanks to goals from Jose Antonio Reyes and Sergio Aguero. Of the players that played that night, only Diego Godin will feature in this friendly eight years on.
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Almost back to full strength, it will be a different Atletico Madrid that Inter will face, compared to the team who drew one and lost one in Singapore.
With the first-choice defence back, they will be confident of nullifying the threat of Mauro Icardi up front, while Saul Niguez and Koke can pull the strings in midfield.
Inter are also almost back to full strength, though it seems unlikely their Croatian trio will start in Madrid.
Radja Nainggolan’s return is a boost but their pre-season form has not been great – just one win in their last five matches.
Icardi and Lautaro Martinez have been in the goals, but defensively Inter have come up short – which is why Atletico should be considered favourites, even without Antoine Griezmann up top.
Though they are favourites to win, you can still back Atletico Madrid at a best price of 11/10 with Betway to overcome Inter Milan.
Atletico are at full-strength in defence and, as a result, can keep Mauro Icardi and Lautaro Martinez quiet. Under 2.5 goals will return 17/20 with Betway, while Bet365 have priced an Atletico clean sheet at 13/8.
Atletico Madrid to win to nil is also 12/5 with Bet365 and Betway, and you can bet against both teams to score at a best price of 21/20 with Betway.
Borja Garces scored Atletico’s winner against Cagliari last time out, and he is 9/5 with Betway to score at any time.
Atletico Madrid are favourites to beat Inter Milan and, with a near full-strength team now available to them, they are certainly the strongest on paper.
Having been without their entire defensive line for the first friendlies of their pre-season, Atletico now have Filipe Luis, Diego Godin and Jose Gimenez available again – all three played against Cagliari last time out. New signing Thomas Lemar was also involved, but Lucas Hernandez and Antoine Griezmann returned later than their compatriot after the World Cup. Diego Costa was the only other notable absentee last time, but he may return in a bid to prove his fitness ahead of the Super Cup.
Diego Costa – If he features, it will be his first appearance since scoring three times for Spain at the World Cup.
Angel Correa – Scored nine goals and grabbed eight assists last season, and comes into this final friendly on the back of a full pre-season.
Thomas Lemar – New signing has returned to action after only being on the fringes of France’s World Cup squad in Russia – he now has a point to prove.
Atletico started their pre-season with an under-strength squad in Singapore, drawing 1-1 with Arsenal after Luciano Vietto’s first-half goal before winning on penalties. Against a seriously below-par PSG, however, they lost 3-2 despite Victor Mollejo and a late own goal making it 2-2 – the French side grabbing an even later winner. Since returning from Singapore, Atletico drew 1-1 with Stuttgart – Joaquin Munoz scoring the equaliser – and then won 1-0 against Cagliari last time out thanks to Borja Garces’ goal.
Inter have a full-strength squad at their disposal for the trip to Madrid, with their World Cup players all now back in action and Radja Nainggolan fit again. Among those returning World Cup players is Atletico loanee Sime Vrsaljko, who is unlikely to start against his parent club, but Marcelo Brozovic and Ivan Perisic may feature later on. Joao Miranda could star, meanwhile, as too could Mauro Icardi up front.
Mauro Icardi – Scored 29 goals in Serie A last season and hit the ground running in pre-season with two more after missing the World Cup.
Radja Nainggolan – Back from injury and will be keen to make up for lost time with plenty to prove after his own World Cup omission.
Lautaro Martinez – Scored the winner against Lyon last time out – his fourth goal of the summer so far.
Inter won their first pre-season game by beating Lugano 3-0 – Lautaro Martinez scoring twice and Yann Karamoh also netting - but then went four without a win. A 2-0 loss to Sion was followed by a high-scoring 3-3 draw with Zenit – Martinez grabbing the equaliser – and a 1-1 draw with Sheffield United, where Mauro Icardi scored. In the International Champions Cup, Inter lost on penalties to Chelsea despite Roberto Gagliardini scoring in a 1-1 draw but they returned to winning ways when Martinez scored the only goal of the game against Lyon.
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