Atalanta vs Real Madrid predictions, odds and betting tips

Real Madrid have work to do in the Champions League as they head to Atalanta.

Atalanta vs Real Madrid best bets

• Atalanta to win – 11/5 with Sky Bet
• Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals – 4/5 with Sky Bet
• Mateo Retegui to score any time – 13/8 with Sky Bet

Atalanta vs Real Madrid odds

Find the latest match odds for Atalanta vs Real Madrid. All odds are provided by our best football betting sites. Odds are subject to change.

Atalanta vs Real Madrid predictions

Real Madrid may have fought their way back into the La Liga title race in recent weeks, but they are not out of the woods in Europe yet.

There has never been a time in the history of the competition where Madrid have not been the most successful side in the Champions League.

Their 15th and most recent triumph was just last season, as Carlo Ancelotti’s side beat Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in the final having previously eliminated Manchester City and Bayern Munich.

After adding Kylian Mbappe to their squad over the summer, Madrid began the current campaign as second-favourites to lift the famous trophy behind Guardiola’s City.

To say things have not gone to plan in the first five rounds of league phase fixtures would be an understatement. 

A top-eight finish is required to advance directly to the round of 16 in this new-look format, while the sides that rank between ninth and 24th will advance to the knockout phase play-offs.

Ahead of this week’s trip to Atalanta, Madrid sit 24th in the standings. Fall any lower and they will be facing up to the improbable prospect of an early elimination.

The Blancos kicked off their continental campaign with a 3-1 victory over Stuttgart, but even in that game there were signs that all was not well in terms of the balance of the team. 

Since then Madrid have lost three of their four Champions League games, going down to Lille, AC Milan and Liverpool. They also beat Borussia Dortmund 5-2 after falling two goals behind.

Even if they were to win each of their three remaining matches, Madrid could still miss out on the top eight. Anyway, three wins from three is far from a given. 

This clash with Atalanta will be tricky, and while it is hard to see Ancelotti’s team slipping up at home to Red Bull Salzburg, a trip to overachieving Brest on matchday eight has the potential to be an awkward assignment. 

It would be unthinkable for the mighty Madrid to bow out before the knockout phase, a fate that has never befallen them before. Yet given their poor start, there is little margin for error for the defending champions.

Both teams are seen as potential dark horses in the Champions League and it will be fascinating to see how they fare against each other this week.

Leverkusen and Inter have only met twice before, and it was the Italians who triumphed on both occasions in 2002/03. Can they make it three wins out of three, or will Leverkusen get belated revenge?

Atalanta vs Real Madrid betting tips

Can Atalanta register one of their greatest ever victories when Real Madrid come to town?

Atalanta to win – 11/5

Atalanta are in a much better place than Real Madrid. Gian Piero Gasperini’s charges are fifth with 11 points to their name. Two more victories should be enough to send them through to the round of 16.

Curiously, Atalanta are yet to score at home in the Champions League having been held to goalless draws by both Arsenal and Celtic. But away wins against Shakhtar Donetsk (3-0), Stuttgart (2-0) and Young Boys (6-1) have put Atalanta in an excellent position.

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No one should be surprised if the Italian outfit pick up their first European home victory of the season when Madrid come to town.

Unlike their more illustrious upcoming opponents, Atalanta are more than the sum of their parts under the astute Gasperini.

They are also in magnificent form, having won 12 and drawn one of their last 13 games in all competitions.

Tip Atalanta to win at 11/5 with Sky Bet

Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals – 4/5

It would be wrong to say that Atalanta only know one way to play, but it is true that Gasperini is not the sort of manager who has an inferiority complex against anyone.

So even though Real Madrid are one of the best teams in Europe, Atalanta will still play their usual brand of attacking, proactive football.

That should make this an open and entertaining encounter. For all that they lack cohesion, Madrid’s star quality in forward areas means they will almost certainly find the net here.

Meanwhile four of Atalanta’s last five Serie A matches have featured more than 2.5 goals, as did that 6-1 thrashing of Young Boys last time out in Europe.

Goals at both ends and at least three of them in total looks like a banker.

Select both teams to score and over 2.5 goals at 4/5 with Sky Bet

Mateo Retegui to score any time – 13/8

Mateo Retegui has had a fantastic start to life at Atalanta following his summer switch from Genoa.

The Italy international is the leading scorer in Serie A with 12 goals and he has also found the net twice in the Champions League.

Both of those strikes came against Young Boys on matchday four as Atalanta ran riot in Switzerland.

Needless to say, Real Madrid’s defence will be tougher to break down than Young Boys’, although Ancelotti remains without several players at the back.

Retegui is full of confidence and he will be determined to make his mark against Madrid.

Select Mateo Retegui to score any time at 13/8 with Sky Bet

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