BETDAQ’s Greg Walker is back with a preview of tonight’s La Liga match between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.
Greg is now 19.06 points in front and has had 12 WINNING BETS FROM 18 !!
Greg is BETDAQ’s spokesperson and has plenty to say on the subject of football. Each week he brings his recommended BETDAQ bets across a range of matches but with focus on his area of expertise – European and International football.
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He now previews tonight’s match between Barcelona v Atletico Madrid….
LA LIGA Match Preview:
Barcelona v Atletico Madrid
Sunday 20.00 Live on Sky Sports.
La Liga Week 16….
FC Barcelona host Atletico Madrid on Sunday evening and if you are a fan of Spain’s La Liga then You won’t be missing this eagerly awaited contest. At this stage of the season it would have been expected that this top of the table clash be played out by the Catalans and Madrilenians but it is Atletico and not city rivals ‘Real’ who are the only team that can stop FCB from claiming their twenty second La Liga title. In a strange twist of fixture ‘fate’, in the game preceding this, Barcelona’s city rivals Espanyol play away to Real Madrid so on the same night we will have two sets of fans supporting their arch rivals!
Away day blues….
Like many clubs, Atletico Madrid have a bad record away to Barcelona. In Atletico’s last five seasonal visits to Camp Nou they have lost all five and not just lost but were humiliated. In those five games combined FCB scored an incredible twenty two goals, an average of four goals a game, and conceded just the three. Unlike Los Colcheneros formidable form at their Vicente Caulderon fortress where they have won all eight of their la Liga matches it is on their travels that valuable points have been dropped. Drawing away to Levante and losing away to both Valencia and Real Madrid has put a few question marks over their title aspirations plus that they have only managed just eight goals in seven away games. The away game two weeks ago to city rivals ‘Real’ was a dour affair when Jose Mourhino killed the game as a spectacle when he packed the midfield in a game he knew he must not lose. FC Barcelona coach Tito Villanova holds no such fear and in effect this will provide us with a platform for a very entertaining football match.
Tactical riddle….
Atletico coach Diego Simeone will enter this game with a bit of a tactical riddle. He knows how Barcelona play, they are at home and in Atletico Madrid they are hosting their only serious danger to winning this season’s La Liga title. There is a six point gap now and if Barcelona win on Sunday then this virtually hands the title to the Catalan club, and it’s only December! In contrast to Real Madrid’s negative tactics from two weeks back, FCB will go for the jugular to try and kill off Atletico’s title bid. The tactical riddle here is do Atletico go for a valuable point in their push for a place in next season’s cash rich Champion’s League or do they try and do the most rarest of feats, beat Barcelona on home soil? This is where Simeone’s tactical nous comes in to play and we will see if he is a man or a mouse(but I wouldn’t say that to his face!). Simeone will have discussed this with his players and for me their is only on unanimous verdict, try and win the title.
Decisions Decisions….
The Champion’s league is big and a point at season’s end may swing it ‘Real’s way but Simeone, his players and fans know that this could be a once in a lifetime opportunity for them to be crowned champions of Spain. When Atletico were defeated by ‘Real’ at the Bernabeu it was the first time this season they played with two up front away from home in an obvious effort to score against Real Madrid. Diego Costa may again join Falcao up front and will be well supported by Turan, Koke and Juan Fran from midfield where they will find much more space at Camp Nou than at the Bernabeu.
Whilst FCB & in particular Messi are banging in the goals it is Victor Valdes & his defence that have conceded in five of their last six games. The home team will hold most of the possession as always and will probably get a goal or two. Messi is capable of winning any game and the little number ten will be hard to pin down but this Atletico team is much improved from their five nil humiliation here last year and the little Argentinean won’t have it all his own way.
Atletico Positives & Negatives….
Positive: Atletico Madrid are a well organised, disciplined and skilful side.
Positive: They possess one of the best and in-form strikers in world football.
Negative: They do have a dreadful record at Camp Nou where they are coming up against Senor Lionel Messi who is proving to be possibly the greatest footballer that ever lived.
Negative: Not many people will give ‘Los Colcheneros’ a chance on Sunday night.
Positive: I do….
Betting on BETDAQ – Greg’s Picks:
BACK 1.5 Points ATLETICO MADRID to win @ 11.0
PROFIT TO DATE: 19.06 POINTS
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