Arsenal take on Atletico Madrid in the Europa League semi-final first leg this week, in the tie which football betting pundits expect will produce the champions.
And the big task facing the Gunners is to break down one of the best defences in Europe. Diego Simeone’s Atletico have conceded just 18 goals in 34 league football games, and that is the big factor which makes the Spaniards favourites at betting odds of 2.10 to win the trophy, with Arsenal at 3.50.
In the other semi-final Rudi Garcia’s Marseille are tipped to proceed to the final; though the visit of Marco Rose’s Saltzburg is no walk in the park.
Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid
Arsene Wenger’s announcement that he would leave at the end of the season prompted his players into an emotional 4-1 win at the weekend, and there is a unity around the Emirates we haven’t seen for some time. The players are keen to give Arsene the perfect send-off, and in Alexandre Lacazette they have a man who can puncture the brilliant Atletcio defence. But if he can get past Diego Godin and Stefan Savic, he still has to beat keeper Jan Oblak. That is some rearguard.
The favourites have been in patchy form of late, with one win in four, but Simeone rested Antoine Griezmann, Kevin Gameiro and Koke in a goalless home draw to Real Betis at the weekend. And while Diego Costa won’t be fit, according to Simeone, the Arsenal backline must be on its game to prevent a damaging away goal.
Marseille vs RB Salzburg
Rudi Garcia’s Marseille welcome Salzburg to the Stade Velodrome, and need to win the first leg to justify odds of 1.61 on their progress. After putting Leipzig out in the quarter finals, Marseille have had back-to-back victories in Ligue 1 and are in a three-way race for second place. Garcia has eyes on next year’s Champions League one way or another. Former West Ham star Dimitri Payet has three Europa goals, and if playing will be a thorn in Salzburg’s side.
But Marco Rose’s Salzburg are storming the Austrian Bundesliga and had a stunning quarter final victory against Lazio, recovering from a two-goal deficit by winning 4-1 on home turf, the dangerous Munas Dabbur scoring his fifth tournament goal.
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
