After a game in Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16, Manchester United is hosting Atletico Madrid on Tuesday, March 15. As the first game finished in a draw, the team that wins in the second leg is going to book the ticket to the quarterfinals.
The Red Devils will have their fans to back them. A big majority of nearly 75,000 fans at Old Trafford will be rooting for them that day. The trouble is that Atletico Madrid players probably won’t care. After all, these guys have a fantastic record against English clubs in continental competitions.
Since Diego Simeone’s been in charge, Atleti won seven times against UK teams, while losing just four times and drawing four games. When it comes to Atletico’s games with Manchester United, the two have met only once in history. It happened three weeks ago, when they played 1-1.
Manchester United vs Atletico Madrid Odds (Champions League, 2022)
All odds are per bet365 as of March 11.
1X2
| Manchester United | +110 |
| Draw | +225 |
| Atletico Madrid | +280 |
Over/Under
| Over 2.5 | -227 |
| Under 2.5 | +175 |
Where and When to Watch
- Date: Tuesday, March 15
- Time: 3:00 PM EDT
- Location: Old Trafford in Manchester, England
- Watch: CBS
Cristiano Ronaldo Returns for Manchester United
Manchester United’s roster is packed with superstars. Still, their biggest star is Cristiano Ronaldo, who was struggling with a hip injury last week. Even though he had to skip a few training sessions, as well as the clash with Manchester City in the Premier League, he should be fit enough to play on Tuesday.
Although CR7 isn’t having the season of his life, he’s still been able to put on some decent numbers. For instance, he’s Man United’s top-scorer in the Champions League with six goals to his name so far. Actually, he’s the only player in this squad who’s scored more than one goal in the 2021-22 season.
For Ronaldo, Champions League might be his favorite competition. He is the player with the most Champions League finals, as well as the guy who’s scored more UCL goals than anyone else. That said, you can be sure he’s going to be extremely motivated on Tuesday, and the same goes for his teammates as well.
Injury Problems Worry Simeone
Atletico Madrid is having some serious injury problems at the moment, especially at the back. Mario Hermoso, Stefan Savic, Sime Vrsaljko, and Daniel Wass are all either injured or still struggling to get back to full fitness after an injury.
In addition to defenders, some Atletic midfielders are also having issues with injuries. Geoffrey Kondogbia is injured, the same as Thomas Lemar and Angel Correa. Over in the final third, Matheus Cunha is having an injury problem.
Note that some of the aforementioned players might get cleared to play before Tuesday, but the question is will they be at their 100% fitness? Probably not is the answer, which could mean problems for Atleti.
Nevertheless, the players who are fit seem capable of causing serious problems to the Man United defense – Luis Suarez, Joao Felix, Antonine Griezmann, etc.
That said, it’s likely we are going to see more goals in this game than we did three weeks ago. Still, it seems the hosts are the ones who should score more.
Picks: Manchester United to Win; Over 2.5 Goals