Atletico Madrid is wandering around the Spanish Primera without destiny. The team is placed in 10th spot in the table league (31 points), 10 points below European positions. European spots stay far from their current place. After watching last Atletico’s last match in the Spanish league against Zaragoza, it’s difficult to think that Atletico Madrid is going to fight for getting something in domestic championship. Atletico Madrid is focusing in Cup Tourneys. They have already reached the Spanish Cup Final against Sevilla FC and they are very motivated to reach other qualifying rounds in the Europe League. Atletico will have two absences for this match. Tiago and Ibrahima cannot be eligible to play for this competition. Sanchez Flores (coach) will put into the field his best possible team. Degea, Valera, Ujfalusi, Dominguez, Antonio Lopez, Assunçao, Raul Garcia, Reyes, Simao (Salvio), Kun and Forlan. I have to remind that Sanchez Flores, Reyes and Simao are former Benfica’s players, the highest opponent of Sporting Clube.
Better Feelings
Sporting is placed in 4th spot (35 points) in Portuguese League, far from Title fight, 5 points above 6th spot. The team has played very bad during this season. They changed the coach. Paulo Bento was fired three months ago. The team has improved so much in last month. They have won 3 matches and 1 draw. They haven’t conceded goals in these 4 games. Among these games they won 3-0 against Everton in Lisbon. Sporting has two absences in their squad, Yannick Djalo and Daniel Carriço are injured, but they might put into the field a good team, besides enjoying Liedson as striker, because he scored 4 goals in his last game against Belenenses. The starting line-up would be: Rui Patricio, Silva, Polga, Tonel, Grimi, mendes, Veloso, Izmailov, Moutinho, Vukcevic and Liedson.
Tough Qualifying Round
I can see a very open qualifying round. I strongly think both teams will have tough games as guest, away from home. Atletico Madrid has to show better performance that they offered against Galatasaray when they played in Madrid. They need a good result to travel to Lisbon. They saw how dangerous is Sporting at home. Sporting killed Everton quite comfortably and Everton was the favorite one in previous qualifying round. Sanchez Flores couldn’t win Sporting in the 3 times that Benfica and Sporting faced. I think Atletico’s coach will be highly motivated to win on Thursday. Atletico’s strikers are too good for Sporting’s defensive system and I think Kun Aguero and Diego Forlan want to make something special in this tourney. Maybe at least one of them doesn’t stay in Atletico Madrid next season. It’s always risky betting on Atletico Madrid, it’s a team very unpredictable, but I think they are very interested in Europa League and they will give 100% on Thursday to catch a good result in this first leg.
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Prediction:
Tip: 1
Odd: 1.80
Bookie: Bet365
Stake: 5 /10
Tipster: Kather
