Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona Prediction: Second 45 to be a lively affair

Barcelona have it all do in the second-leg of their Champions League Quarter-final tie as they travel to Madrid with a two-goal deficit following the stunning result in the Camp Nou last Wednesday. TNT Sports 1 will show this match live in the UK on Tuesday evening with kick-off set for 20:00 as we wait to see whether the comeback is on.

Our Spanish-based football expert got the assignment for this one and he likes the second-half to be lively and that a certain Argentine striker can hit the back of the net once again. You can check out his reasoning and two Best Bets for this match right here on Betfred Insights with his Atlético Madrid vs Barcelona Predictions...

*You can check out all the Football Odds and markets on offer with us over at betfred.com

Atlético Madrid and Barcelona clash for the sixth and final time this season on Tuesday night. It's the third meeting in 10 days and the most important of the lot, with a Champions League semi-final place at stake. 

It's Atleti who are firmly in the box seat, following a surprise 2-0 victory in the first leg. That was their first win at Camp Nou in 20 years, with Diego Simeone finally getting the better of Barcelona in their own stadium. 

The key moment in the match came just before the interval. After a VAR review, Pau Cubarsí was sent off for a last-man challenge, and to add insult to the Catalan team's woes, Julián Alvarez stepped up to brilliantly convert the resulting free-kick. 

Even with 10 players, it was still Barça who had most of the play and 60% of the ball in the second half. However, they couldn't find a way through, and Alexander Sørloth came off the bench to add a potentially decisive second for Los Rojiblancos. 

Both sides returned to league action on Saturday, with Simeone predictably resting all 10 outfielders who started at Camp Nou. Youngsters Julio Díaz, Dani Martínez, Javier Boñar and Rayane Belaid all started against Sevilla, while Jano Monserrate and Javi Morcillo featured off the bench in a match that finished 2-1 in favour of the relegation-threatened hosts. 

Even after three straight league defeats, Atlético Madrid are still coasting towards a top-four finish in La Liga, with an 11-point lead on fifth-placed Real Betis. Their season will largely be defined by events this week, with a Copa del Rey final against Real Sociedad also to come on Saturday. 

The Estadio Metropolitano will be electric on Tuesday night with Atleti in pole position to reach the last four of the Champions League for the first time in nine years. An 83% win rate at home in all competitions this season should give them confidence. That includes a 4-0 victory over Barcelona in the Copa del Rey in February, although Hansi Flick's men were 2-1 winners in the league on this ground earlier this month. 

Barça are going to need to put in one of their best performances of the season if they're going to turn this tie around. They certainly have the attacking capabilities to score at least twice in Madrid, but they'll need to be good at both ends of the pitch. 

On the domestic front, it has been a really positive period since the international break for the Catalan giants. They've taken absolute control of the title race in La Liga, with Real Madrid slipping up in back-to-back matches. 

Flick's team were 4-1 winners over Espanyol in the Catalan derby at the weekend. While they were the superior side for much of the contest, it was a trickier game than they'd have liked, with their neighbours only a goal down and exerting pressure heading into the final five minutes. 

Late strikes from Lamine Yamal and Marcus Rashford ultimately sealed the three points. However, Flick would have liked to have been in a position to withdraw Yamal and Pedri, who both completed the full 90 minutes. 

Team News: 

With goalkeeper Jan Oblak expected to be fit, Atlético Madrid could make 11 changes from the side that started against Sevilla on Saturday. With the exception of Ademola Lookman, Simeone didn't even bring any of his senior stars off the bench, so the hosts should be well rested ahead of this clash. 

Johnny Cardoso and Pablo Barrios are back in training, which means there are fresh options in midfield, which could be useful if this match goes the distance. The main issues for the hosts are in defence, with doubts over the fitness of Dávid Hancko and José María Giménez, while Marc Pubill is suspended. 

Flick made five changes to his weekend Barcelona lineup. The likes of Robert Lewandowski, Jules Koundé and João Cancelo are expected to rotate in at the Estadio Metropolitano, while Rashford should also return on the left flank, given Raphinha's continued injury absence. 

The visitors are without the suspended Cubarsí following his first-leg red card. Andreas Christensen will miss out due to injury again, while the game may also come too soon for Marc Bernal. 

Match Odds: 

Barcelona are priced at 5/6 to win in regulation time, while you can back them to come back to progress into the semi-finals at 5/2. Atlético Madrid are given a 5/2 chance of winning inside 90 minutes, while the Draw is priced at 7/2. 

This has the potential to be an entertaining clash, with Both teams to score available at 4/11, while you can back Over 3.5 goals at 10/11. You can also back the hosts to net over 1.5 goals at 1/1. 

Flick's side are given a 7/4 chance of winning a contest that sees both teams get on the scoresheet. You can also back Barcelona to win and Over 3.5 goals at 9/4. 

Lewandowski netted the winner on this ground off the bench the weekend before last in La Liga, and he's the 4/1 favourite to score first. You can also back the veteran striker to score anytime at 1/1. Yamal is on offer at 23/20 in the same market, while Rashford is priced at 13/8 to get on the scoresheet. 

From a home perspective, you can back Griezmann to net in what will be his final match against his old club at odds of 6/4. Sørloth, who boasts a great record against this opposition, is priced at 11/2 to score last again. 

*You can bet on the match and check out all of our Betting Markets on the Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona Odds page on betfred.com

Bet 1 - Second half - Both teams to score @ 11/8 

Stereotypes about Atlético Madrid being a defensive side continue to linger, despite that having not been the case for several years. Since the start of the new Champions League format last season, they've averaged 2.39 goals per game in this competition, only failing to net in two of their 23 matches. 

They've also kept just three clean sheets during that period. That suggests there is plenty of life left in this tie, and Barcelona may need to score at least three goals if they're going to progress, given they're yet to keep a clean sheet in the 2025/26 Champions League. 

Atleti had real joy playing on the break in the recent Copa del Rey clash on this ground, and we could see more of the same in the second half, with the visitors in a position where they need to take risks and chase it. 

Barça have been more threatening in the latter stages of matches this term, with 70% of their Champions League goals coming after the interval. I can see that trend continuing and I'm backing Both teams to score in the second half at odds of 11/8. 

Bet 2 - Julián Alvarez to score anytime @ 9/5

The only player who could feature in this fixture with more than six Champions League goals this season is Alvarez. The ex-Manchester City man has netted nine times in 12 European appearances. 

He has consistently saved his best football for the continental stage, and has frequently shown himself to be a big game performer. Alvarez netted against Real Madrid in the round of 16 last season, while he has scored in four of his team's five Champions League knockout fixtures so far this term. 

Given that, it's surprising that he doesn't rank among the outright favourites to grab a goal in this game. Following a brilliant free-kick last week, I'm backing the Argentine to score anytime at 9/5. 

You can check out Mark's Football Betting Tips along with those from the rest of the Betfred Insights Football writers on our Football home page...