The second week of the Round of 16 kicks off soon, and there are already some changes. To start off, we’re going to check the matchup between Atletico Madrid vs. Chelsea. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this game had to move the match to another country, in this case Romania. This is due to the travel band on UK visitors to the Spanish capital. With this in mind, this could change the outcome for the home team.

Both teams have met more than once in the Champions League. Since 2009, they’ve met a total of seven times. So far, both teams are tied in wins, each with two. And they have three draws. It’s safe to say that it’s a fair matchup, but in this tournament, anything can happen. Let’s look at the latest 2021 Champions League odds, expert preview and pick.

Atletico Madrid vs Chelsea Game Info

OFFICIAL: The first leg of Atletico Madrid vs Chelsea will now be played at the Arena Nationala in Bucharest ? pic.twitter.com/MzurFtKLBs

— Goal (@goal) February 10, 2021

• When: Tuesday, February 23rd, 2021 | 3:00 PM ET
• Where: Arena Naţională, Bucharest, Romania
• TV: Fox Sports
• Live Stream: UEFA.tv
• Champions League Odds: Atletico Madrid +156 / 0.0 (-123) / Over 2.5 (+150) | Chelsea +186 / 0.0 (+101) / Under 2.5 (-189) | Draw +205

READ MORE: Lazio vs Bayern Munich 2021 Champions League Odds and Preview

Why is Atletico Madrid a safe bet in Game 1?

Atleti’s performance this season hasn’t been memorable, to say the least. They ended as runner ups in Group A. They took a loss against Bayern Munich in their first match, then were able to get a tie in their second. The games against RB Salzburg gave them the necessary points. Their effort against Lokomotiv Moscow ended in draws as well.

If we look at their performance in La Liga, they currently hold first place by a significant amount of points. Not to say it’s theirs to take now, but they have performed well at home. Their defense is usually solid and might bring a difficult task for Chelsea.

Looking at their current stats, Atletico Madrid is averaging 1.17 goals scored per match, with an average of 1.33 in goals conceded per game. They are not fully into form and key players such as Luis Suárez hasn’t been outstanding so far, scoring seven goals so far in this season’s campaign.

Recent Performance

• Form: WWWWW
• Latest: Win, 1-2 vs. Granada (02/13)
• Current Standing:: 1st place in La Liga

Possible Line-Up

• Oblak
• Savić
• Giménez
• Hermoso
• Vrsaljko
• Llorente
• Koke
• Saúl
• Carrasco
• João Félix
• Suárez

Why is Chelsea a safe bet in Game 1?

The Blues held their ground in the group, taking first place in the Group E table. No losses came their way. They took a couple of draws from Europa League Champion, Sevilla, and another against Krasnodar. They were able to get four wins and get 14 points in that round.

An interesting stat for Chelsea is that they are the last team to beat Atletico Madrid in a away game during a European tournament, back in September 2017. This might be an advantage for them, though their performance in the Premier League.

Chelsea is averaging 2.33 goals scored per game and 0.33 in goals conceded per game. Just by looking at that, we can tell the Blues have a stronger offense and defense. That, and the fact that Altetico Madrid is not playing at home, could shift the balance towards them.

Recent Performance

• Form: WWWWW
• Latest: Win, 2-0 vs. Newcastle (02/15)
• Current Standing:: 4th place in Premier League

Possible Line-Up

• Mendy
• James
• Rüdiger
• Thiago Silva
• Alonso
• Mount
• Kanté
• Werner
• Pulišić
• Hudson-Odoi
• Giroud

Atletico Madrid vs. Chelsea Champions League Betting Trends

• Atletico Madrid have only scored seven goals in the group phase, making in the lowest scoring against the other teams in the knockout round.
• Atletico Madrid’s head coach, Diego Simeone, have never lost a home game in the knockout phase in the Champions League.
• Atletico Madrid have only conceded one goal in their past 12 Champions League knockout games in their home stadium.
• Chelsea only trailed a total of four minutes during this season’s group phase.
• Chelsea were one of only four teams to win all away games in the group phase, scoring more goals on the road than any other team.
• Chelsea’s striker Olivier Giroud scored every 28 minutes in this season’s Champions League group phase.

Atletico Madrid vs Chelsea Betting Prediction

Just by looking at their latest stats, this can go either way at this point. But I feel Chelsea taking the win here, most likely with a small score difference. I see this one ending 3-1 in favor of the Blues, taking the lead in the series between these two teams.

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