Moneybookers
Atletico Madrid has the most important game of the season this Thursday. Obviously, they had got a pretty result in first leg (4-0), but everybody is waiting for a pitched battle in Santander. Racing Santander will come into the pitch with nothing to lose. Three days after, Atletico has a league match against in form FC Barcelona. Atletico is the most unpredictable team in the world. Atletico can win any team in the world in a concrete, specific day, but they are also able to lose when they play against the worst team in the Spanish Primera. They have excellent strikers like Diego Forlan and Kun Agüero. Agüero has a marvelous streak against FC Barcelona, he score for fun against the Catalonians. I think Quique Sanchez Flores (coach) will play with three classic midfielders (Raul Garcia, Tiago and Assunçao) trying to keep the ball, because Atletico has plenty of problems with the ball possession. When they play with two midfielders and four offensive ones in front, game are usually going crazy, with a lot of chances in both boxes. I think Agüero will be rested on Thursday, thinking about Sunday match, and maybe Atletico will play on Sunday with following starting eleven: De Gea, Ujfalusi, Perea, Dominguez, Antonio Lopez, Raul García, Tiago, Assunçao, Simao, Forlan and Agüero. This team will have a difficult mission on Sunday, to keep the ball against FC Barcelona is almost impossible. If they will play counter-attack and we will see the best Atletico’s version.
Big Blows in Defense
This is a very important match for FC Barcelona. The Vicente Calderon Stadium is a tough place for FC Barcelona in last two years. They lost 4-2 and 4-3. They have been involved in crazy games. Kun Agüero is really a nightmare for the leaders’ defense. When FC Barcelona and Atletico Madrid play everything can happen. FC Barcelona will have several big blows in defense. Pique, Marquez, Toure and Alves. These absences can be decisive when you play against world class strikers. So I think Guardiola will play with his best midfielders and forwards. Busquets, Xavi and Iniesta in midfield, Messi, Ibrahimovic and Henry (Pedro) as forwards. FC Barcelona will try to keep the ball and create a lot of chances taking the ball to Messi and Ibrahimovic. Guardiola’s problem stay in defense. Puyol will play on right, Abidal on left, Milito as central defender and Chigrynskiy the other one? I don´t think so. Those central defenders were an authentic disaster in Spanish Cup against Sevilla FC. Guardiola will have to create something to arrange the defensive system. FC Barcelona can’t afford to lose points because Real Madrid is behind them. They can be reached and Champions League is coming.
Goal Festival
I know that it’s too soon to do a definitive call for this match, beside Atletico must play one game before, but I think there is a good value betting in goals, and probably the odds will drop. FC Barcelona’s style is known around the world, they want the ball possession and create goal chances and Atletico Madrid always gave his best face when they play on counter-attacks, Agüero, Forlan and Simao are very fast players and they can hurt this Barcelona’s weak defense. The matches between these teams are usually having plenty of goals, beautiful games and anything can happen in this kind of matches. Both teams’ goalkeepers are in very good form moment, but Atletico’s defense is very poor, they always make big mistakes and the absences in Barcelona’s defense can create troubles to Victor Valdés. I think it will be a match with a lot of goal chances and Messi versus Antonio López can be the evidence that offensive power will beat the defensive one.
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Prediction:
Tip: Over 3
Odd: 2.03
Bookie: Bwin
Stake: 4 /10
Tipster: Kather
