Real Madrid deactivated Atalanta in eighths with efficiency and without artifice. Mendy in the first leg, on the horn and with urgency, he laid the foundations (0-1) and Vinicius orchestrated the 3-1 of the return that with the goals of Benzema, Ramos and Asensio they drew. A solvent triumph that places them again among the eight best in Europe, habitual habitat for the king of the Champions League. However, despite being waters in which whites historically navigate with stability, doubts about the team's game and squad limitations illuminate a reality. For bookmakers, Madrid is not a safe bet.
Odds fluctuate depending on rivals, so hopefully a friendly crossover on Friday's draw would make the chances grow or shrink, but at the moment it does not appear among the top favorites to get the final winding. Manchester City, Bayern Munich, PSG, Liverpool and Chelsea share the top positions, in that order on Betfair, William Hill, Sportium and Bet365, leaving the thirteen-time European champions in sixth place.
The multiplier of those of Zidane is situated in a range between 11 and 13 euros for each bet. A gain that, yes, goes in crescendo, well before the round of 16 he appeared as the ninth top seed and with a return of more than 20 to 1. At the end of the season, it seems that the Marseille coach trusts the job of his trusted men. Those that took him to the thirty-fourth league last year and that made him lift one Champions League after another in his first stage. If Vinicius manages to maintain the excellent level of the return against Atalanta and / or if Hazard returns on time and shows that he is the one in charge of leading the project, the odds may continue to fall …
The City, ahead of the finalists
On the other hand, as for play it safe refers, andl Manchester City, as we said, overtakes last year's finalists and the penultimate champion, a Liverpool whose current slump increases the return of those who bet on Klopp's. Between 3.10 and 3.50 to 1 is the range where Guardiola's players fluctuate. Between 4 and 4.75 those of Flick and from 7.5 to 9.5 the multiplier oscillates net. The citizen curse with the competition weighs less than the spectacular moment presented by the Mancunians.
We'll see if all this changes once the crosses come into play because, remember, there are no conditions. Borussia Dortmund and Porto are the riskiest bets, placing them, a priori, like the candy from the hype. Although in Europe cinderellas they have no place, if not, that they ask Juventus about Cristiano Ronaldo …