Atl. Madrid vs Bayer Leverkusen prediction: EUROPE: Champions League – League phase betting tips on match 2025-01-20 20:00.
[p]With two rounds of the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League (UCL) league phase remaining, Atlético Madrid are on course for a place in the knockouts but have their sights set on the top-eight (W4, L2). Beating Bayer Leverkusen, who they trail by one point, would help their cause as they look to bounce back from their shock 1-0 La Liga loss to Leganés on Saturday.[/p]
[p]That was their first defeat in any competition since late October (W15), and the Mattress Makers have only lost one of their last 13 European games at home (W8, D4) – with two of the last three of those victories coming against German sides. They’ve excelled against Leverkusen too, having never lost a home H2H, although four of those games stood level after 90 minutes (W1), so this could be a close-fought contest.[/p]
[p]As Leverkusen (W4, D1, L1) look to stay in the top-eight, they do so on the back of a 3-1 Bundesliga win over Borussia Mönchengladbach that was their 11th consecutive victory in all competitions. Now they, rather than their hosts, are on an impressive long winning run, and another positive is being unbeaten across their last five meetings with Spanish sides (W3, D2).[/p]
[p]Atlético will surely put that run to the test as the reigning Bundesliga champions haven’t won a European game in Spain since 2013/14 (D3, L4), and that aforementioned poor H2H record in the Spanish capital could weigh heavily on Xabi Alonso’s men. They’ve struggled on the road everywhere in this competition lately too, winning just one of their last six UCL away fixtures (D2, L3).[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Ángel Correa could look for a late impact having scored three times after the 80th minute across Atlético’s last three UCL fixtures. If Leverkusen want to get on the front foot, then Álejandro Grimaldo could be the man to help as he’s netted within the opening 35 minutes of two of their six European games this term.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: There were more goals scored after half-time than before in three of the last four H2Hs.[/p]
[p][i]Written by John Pennington[/i][/p]