FC Porto – Atl. Madrid : Preview & Prediction
FC Porto, 2nd of this group B and already qualified for the 1/8 finals, will face Atlético Madrid, 3rd and eliminated from this C1, at the Dragon’s stadium this Tuesday 1st November at 6.45 pm, during this 6th and last day of the group phase. The Portuguese club wants to finish first in its group to avoid meeting a first from another group. The eight group winners will avoid each other in the Round of 16, so Porto will go for the 3 points while hoping for a slip-up by Cercle Brugge, leader with a 1 point lead, at Bayer Leverkusen. Atletico Madrid, on the other hand, could be knocked out of third place and into the Europa League by Bayer Leverkusen.
FC Porto has won 6 of its last 8 matches in all competitions and thanks to 3 victories in the last 3 games of the Champions League group stage has qualified for the last 16. The Dragons beat Bayer Leverkusen (2-0 and 0-3) and Club Brugge (0-4) in Belgium on 26 October. Atletico Madrid have won only once in their last four games and have just lost at Cadiz (3-2) in extra time (90th+9) on Saturday. The Colchoneros have not won in the Champions League for four games and have drawn two of their last two games at home against Club Brugge (0-0) and Bayer Leverkusen (2-2). A win against the Germans would have allowed Madrid to qualify for the last 16 on this last day in Portugal.
The Portuguese club will be without Carmo, Gabriel Veron, Pepe and Uribe against Los Colchoneros. Atletico Madrid will travel to Portugal without Koke, Lemar, Llorente and Morata. Dragons’ Iranian striker Mehdi Taremi has been in fine form on the European stage, scoring four goals in the last two games at Leverkusen (0-3, double) and Bruges (0-4, double). On the other hand, French international Antoine Griezmann is back in Diego Simeone’s plans and his performances have been very good in recent weeks. Griezmann has been decisive in Atletico’s last 5 matches in Bilbao (0-1, 1 goal), against Rayo Vallecano (1-1, 1 assist), at Betis Sevilla (1-2, double), against Bayer Leverkusen (2-2, 1 assist) and at Cadiz (3-2, 1 assist).
FC Porto – Atl. Madrid : Betting Tips
OVER 2.5 GOALS Odds: 2.25
