Manchester United vs. Atlético Madrid— A Make or Break Moment For United’s Season

March 13, 2022

Benson Chikezie, Senior Author

Another Champions League night is upon us, and again, it will end with joy and ecstasy for one team and disappointment for the other. Atlético Madrid will travel to the Theatre of Dreams, Old Trafford, as Manchester United host the second leg of their Round of 16 tie on the 16th of March, 2022, 01:30 IST.

Manchester United are in what appears to be a make-or-break moment for their season. If they progress, they can dream of winning another UCL crown. If they fail here, it will be another disappointing season without silverware. Atlético Madrid are in imperious form ahead of the tie, having won their last 3 games on the bounce. They will certainly fancy their chances against a United side who have appeared disjointed all season. The first leg ended in a 1-all draw, and with the away goal rule in the trash can, the game is open for any team to win.

Teams Status

Take a closer look at the latest form and team news for Manchester United and Atlético Madrid.

Manchester United Form and Team News

Manchester United may be one of England’s biggest sides, but they have not lived up to the billing for a while now. Cristiano Ronaldo’s return has seen them through to this stage of the Champions League, with the Portuguese superstar responsible for 6 UCL goals this season.

In the EPL, the Red Devils will face Tottenham Hotspurs over the weekend. They sit in 5th position, after a humiliating 4-1 loss to city rivals Manchester City last weekend. Locked in a scrappy battle for a top-four place, United have a chance to gain automatic Champions League qualification and glory, of course, if they go on to win the title. Notably, they have a humble return of 12 Champions League goals so far.

For their injuries and suspensions, if no new injuries are picked up in the game against Tottenham Hotspurs, United will be missing left-back Luke Shaw, who contracted coronavirus recently, and Mason Greenwood, who remains suspended.

Atlético Madrid Form and Team News

After winning 3 consecutive La Liga matches, Atlético Madrid are feeling unbeatable at the moment, ahead of their trip to Manchester. The reigning La Liga champions, who will certainly lose their league crown this season, have not been winning consistently and will draw much inspiration from their current form.

Four straight wins in the league have seen them rise to 3rd, 3 points above Barcelona, who have played 2 games less. The competition for the Champions League spots is heating up at the top half of the La Liga, so Diego Simeone’s men know their destinies lie in their hands. Antoine Griezmann leads the goalscoring in Europe with 4 goals and 1 assist.

For their team news, Atlético Madrid are severely weakened as they have several players injured or suspended. Yannick Carrasco is suspended for this fixture, while Sime Vrsaljko, Thomas Lemar, Stefan Savic, Angel Correa, Geoffrey Kondongbia, Koke, Matheus Cunha, Daniel Wass, and Mario Hermoso are all sidelined with injuries and may miss the trip to Manchester.

What Do the Sportsbooks Say?

Manchester United	Draw	Atlético Madrid
2.27	3.3	3.64
2.27	3.3	3.64
2.20	3.40	3.75

The tie is perfectly balanced, but Manchester United play at home, a venue where they have conjured magical moments over the years. Atlético Madrid have an injury crisis, which has potentially weakened the Spanish champions.

The sportsbook at Paripesa places Manchester United to win at 2.27 odds, a draw at 3.3 odds, and a win for the Spanish side at 3.64 odds. On the Melbet sportsbook, the odds for the three outcomes are as follows: 2.27, 3.3, and 3.64. The Parimatch sportsbook also favors a Manchester United victory at 2.20 odds, a draw at 3.40 odds, and a win for Atlético at 3.75 odds.

Tipster’s Angle

Manchester United have not been convincing at home this season, and their last home loss came in February to Middlesbrough in the FA Cup. Atlético have also lost 2 of their 5 away games but have won away from home in their last two away games. This is the second-ever meeting between the two sides in history, and the stakes are high. Here are our tips for this encounter:

Tip: Over 1.5 Goals @ 1.4

The first leg ended in a 1-1 stalemate, and we expect more attacking intent on display in this fixture. Both teams are poised to end the season without a trophy, so all bets are off, and they will most likely come flying out of the blocks. We expect a multiple-goal result, as games of this kind are usually tightly contested. Over 1.5 goals is available on the Melbet sportsbook at 1.4 odds.

Tip: Either Team To Win @ 1.34

This fixture is set in different circumstances compared to the first leg, and both sides will be playing to win in regular time from kickoff. United have Cristiano Ronaldo, who one should never rule out in games like this, and Atlético have genuine goal threats in Griezmann, Joao Felix, and Luis Suarez. We expect either team to get the win in regular time. Either team to win is available on the Sportsbet.io sportsbook at 1.34 odds.

Conclusion

Manchester United know that the result of this encounter will define their season. A win will give them hope, while a loss will puncture whatever pride they have left. Atlético Madrid are no pushovers, even with their injury crisis. An interesting Champions League night is on the cards here.

Benson Chikezie

16:25, 13 Mar 2022

Senior Author

Benson Chikezie

Senior Author

16:25, 13 Mar 2022

Benson Chikezie is a Nigerian-based writer with many years of experience in the sports betting industry. He is a digital marketer by profession. Benson has written many sports related contents for various websites.