The most established team in the UEFA Champions League takes on a team on young bucks in the Round of 16. And yet, this is another matchups we haven’t seen before during the tournament. There could be a surprise brewing in their first encounter.

We’re going to dive in into this interesting matchup of Atalanta vs. Real Madrid, checking out the latest 2021 Champions League odds for Game 1, plus an expert preview and prediction.

Atalanta vs Real Madrid Game Info

• When: Wednesday, February 24th, 2021 | 3:00 PM ET
• Where: Stadio di Bergamo, Bergamo , Italy
• TV: Fox Sports
• Live Stream: UEFA.tv
• Champions League Odds Odds: Atalanta +158 / 0.0 (-105) / Over 3.5 (+130) | Real Madrid +143 / 0.0 (-116) / Under 3.5 (-164) | Draw +272

READ MORE: Monchengladbach vs. Manchester City 2021 Champions League Odds and Preview

Why is Atalanta a safe bet in Game 1?

The Italian squad has made two appearances in the Champions League, both of which allowed them to make it to the knockout phase. That’s quite impressive. Their last appearance was in last season’s campaign. They came out in second place in Group C and were able to make it to the quarterfinals and barely lost against PSG, 2-1.

For this season, they ended as runner ups for Group D. They were able to get three wins against the other teams as a visiting team, but were unable to get a win at home. They received one loss and two draws when playing as the home team.

Looking at their current stats, they are averaging 1.67 goals scored per game, with an average of 1.33 goals conceded. Their defender Cristian Romero leads in interceptions this season, more than any other player in the group stage, with 24 total.

Recent Performance

• Form: LDDWW
• Latest: Win, 1-0 vs. Cagliari (02/14)
• Current Standing:: 6th place in Serie A

Possible Line-Up

• Gollini
• Tolói
• Romero
• Djimsiti
• Hateboer
• De Roon
• Freuler
• Gosens
• Pessina
• Iličić
• Zapata

Why is Real Madrid a safe bet in Game 1?

This is Real Madrid’s 24th consecutive season in the knockout round of the Champions League, making it the longest run of the tournament’s history. Their last title reign happened during the 2017-18 season, beating Liverpool to win their 13th championship. With that history, you would think they are a dominant force that is hard to take down, but it’s not always like that.

Let’s look at this season’s stats so far. They were able to win first place of Group B, but it wasn’t their best performance. Out of six games, they won three, lost two and one draw. This summed up to 10 points total. But there were another two teams with right points, tying for second place. Imagine if they had lost another game.

Madrid is currently averaging 1.83 goals scored per game, along with 1.50 goals conceded per game as well. One interesting fact is Zidane’s performance as manager for Real Madrid during the knockout round. He has prevailed when it comes to knockout ties, with a current record of 9 home/away games and three finals.

Recent Performance

• Form: WLWWW
• Latest: Win, 2-0 vs. Valencia (02/14)
• Current Standing:: 2nd in La Liga

Possible Line-Up

• Courtois
• Carvajal
• Militão
• Varane
• Mendy
• Modrić
• Casemiro
• Kroos
• Asensio
• Benzema
• Vinícius Júnior

Atalanta vs Real Madrid Champions League Betting Trends

• Atalanta are the first team since Sevilla to reach the Champions League knockout round in their first two appearances.
• Atalanta are the only team left in the Round of 16 to yet win a home game during this Champions League campaign.
• Atalanta’s 70% of goals during this season’s group phase were scored during the second half, making it the highest percentage among the remaining teams.
• Real Madrid have won their last five away games against Italian teams.
• Real Madrid have scored in their last 19 matches against an Italian team.
• Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema.

Atalanta vs Real Madrid Betting Prediction

What can we say about this matchup? Just by having Real Madrid as an opponent is hard enough. But after looking at their recent performance in the tournament, I must say I have my doubts.

It’s important to point out this is the first of two games in the series. So, if Atalanta are smart and take advantage of their home field, we might just be in for a surprise.

But I have a feeling Real Madrid could shake off the cobwebs and play as the top tier team they are. Yes, I know the stats say otherwise. Then again, it’s Real Madrid and even the top teams have their days. I’m picking Real Madrid for the win, with a score of 3-1.

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