Atletico Madrid are back in action again this Wednesday as they travel to Pamplona Navarre to face Osasuna in the sixth game of the round 29 of the La Liga season.
The hosts, fresh from a 1:1 draw with Real Sociedad last time out, are currently occupying 11th place in the table. They will be looking to take home the spoils and perhaps dent the top-four finish hopes of Diego Simeone’s Atletico.
The visitors who occupy 6th place—a point off Real Sociedad in fourth—are back from a battling 1:1 draw with Bilbao. They will know that any misstep in this game could put their Champions League dream for next season in jeopardy ad so all hands must be on deck for a positive result here.
Team News
Ruben Garcia misses out through suspension, while Ezequiel Avila remains a long term injury absentee. Robert Ibanez and Enrique Barja are doubtful for the tie.
For Simeone, Victor Vitolo is the only injury doubt heading into this tie.
Head to head
The last five meetings between the two teams have seen Atletico winning all five and keeping four clean sheets in the process.
Team Form
Osasuna last five games in all competition: DWLLW
Atletico Madrid last five games in all competition: DWDDW
Betting Preview
Osasuna have been La Liga’s mid-table team in most departments this season. They have scored 35 times this season, making them the 9th team with the most goals. They have also conceded 39 times, making them the 8th team with the most goals conceded.
All these stats, however, have added up to keep them in 11th place. They are relatively away from a relegation fight and particularly not involved in a fight for a European spot.
Jagoba Arrasate’s boys are one of the worst first-half performers in the league this season, with 60% of their goals against coming in the first 45 minutes. In fact, only Alaves have taken fewer points in the first half of games.
In the 28 matches played this season in La Liga, the hosts have won the first half only four times (D12, L12), scoring ten times against the 25 times they score in the second half.
Atletico meanwhile are slow starters, often going into the second half goalless. They have seen nearly half of their La Liga games end in 0-0 at half time. Eight of those 16 goalless first halves were away from home, resulting in an average of 0.56 goals per game in matches involving them.
Fresh from a frustrating draw in their last outing, this can be said to be a winnable tie for Diego Simeone’s side as they remain in the hunt for a top-four finish.
However, plenty of goals is not a feature associated with this Atletico side as they remain one of the teams that feature the least number of goals per game. To put this stat in context, 75% of games involving Atletico this season have featured under 2.5 goals with Diego Simeone’s side failing to score in nine of their 28 games so far.
Admittedly they are slow starters, but scoring against them in the second half is a hard task as they have conceded only ten times in the second half of games this season—a league-low.
Suggested Bets
Under 2.5 Goals @ 11/20
Atletico to win @ 5/6
Both Teams to Score/No @ 7/10
