Atletico Madrid are hosting Lille at the Wanda Metropolitano on Wednesday for their first-ever matchup. The French team is coming off a historic 1-0 win against Real Madrid in their last Champions League game, while Atlético are looking to bounce back after getting smashed 4-0 by Benfica.
Still led by the immovable Diego Simeone, Atletico have been playing much more attacking soccer than in previous seasons following the arrivals of strikers Julian Alvarez and Alexander Sorloth. Their defeat to Benfica has been their only loss this season and they are coming off a 3-1 win at home against Leganes.
Lille followed their 2-0 defeat to Sporting with an unexpected 1-0 win against Real Madrid's Galacticos. The victory came off a penalty from Canadian Jonathan David and they will look to do the double against Madrid teams.
Let's get into my Atletico Madrid vs. Lille prediction.
Atletico Madrid vs. Lille Odds, Picks, Prediction
| Atletico Madrid Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-0.5 -220 | 2.5 -118o / -104u | -220 |
| Lille Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+0.5 +160 | 2.5 -118o / -104u | +600 |
- Atletico Madrid vs. Lille moneyline odds: Atletico Madird -220, Lille +600, Draw +340
- Atletico Madrid vs. Lille over/under: 2.5 goals (over -118, under -104)
- Atletico Madrid vs. Lille pick: Antoine Griezmann to score or assist
I am backing Antoine Griezmann to score or assist in Lille vs. Atletico Madrid.
Atletico Madrid Preview
Atletico Madrid suffered their joint-heaviest defeat in their Champions League history against Benfica. Simeone lined up his team in a 3-4-3 and the Portuguese side exploited the large gaps left in defense, mainly between center backs. Reputed for their strong backline throughout the years, the last two seasons have seen Atletico try to divert from their stereotypical play style. This has resulted in mixed results so far this season, with the team juggling between impressive scoring outputs (4.4 xG vs Leganes, 3.1 xG vs Valencia) and disappointment (0.2 xG vs Benfica, 0.5 xG vs Real Sociedad).
The team invested heavily in its attack this summer with the arrivals of Alexander Sorloth, who scored 23 La Liga goals last season, and Julian Alvarez, who is seeking to become the main man after shadowing Erling Haaland at Man City. Sorloth seems to be picking up steam scoring four goals in his last three games for club and country, while Alvarez currently has three goals and one assist in the league.
Antoine Griezmann remains Atletico's talisman, however. In between midfield and the attack depending on Simeone's formations, the Frenchman who recently retired form international duty now has his full focus on Atletico and already has three goals and four assists in the league. Griezmann also scored in his team's 2-1 win over Leipzig in match day 1, and he provided the assist for Gimenez's 90th-minute winner.
Lille Preview
Lille created the surprise of match week 2 with their improbable 1-0 win over Mbappé and co. Lille have been able to rely on a very strong defense this season and a great Lucas Chevalier in goal. This has allowed them to be undefeated in their last five games after struggling earlier in season. In their last game, Lille managed to keep Monaco at bay in a boring 0-0. Les Dogues got dominated by a 10-man Monaco and could have easily lost.
Lille's attack has been their main issue. They have failed to score in three of their last four away games, resulting in some alarming results, such as a 1-0 loss to Saint Etienne. Jonathan David scored a penalty against Real Madrid and has been the main threat up front for Lille along with Edon Zhegrova, however in games where the Canadian striker doesn't perform, Lille can't seem to get it going, creating less than 0.5 xG in two games this season. Lille will be counting on the return of Angel Gomes, after the English international purged his suspension following a red card against Sporting, as the midfielder has been instrumental in Lille's chance creation.
Bruno Genesio has tampered with a few formations, initially beginning the season with ] a back three or five, but he has since had Lille play in a 4-2-3-1. Against Real Madrid, Lille tried to hit them on the counter to varying degrees of success. That victory was more due to the Madridistas being unable to put away their chances than Lille truly outplaying them. Playing that game at home also had its fair share of importance.
Atletico Madrid vs. Lille Prediction
Both teams will be missing some key players. On Lille's end, they will play without Tiago Santos. The Portuguese wingback has been elite this season and impressed against Real. His counterpart on the left side in that game was Mitchell Baker, who is also out for the game. Atletico will likely target the wings through their wingbacks, especially if Simeone decides to play in a back three.
Atletico will also miss center back Clement Lenglet, who started in their last two games, as well as Robin Le Normand and Pablo Barrios. Atletico do have some squad depth and Gimenez is likely step next to Axel Witsel. I think Griezmann will be a key player in this match, as he usually is. The Frenchman has 49 goal contributions in the Champions League (37 goals and 12 assists). He has scored or assisted in each of his last seven home games in the competition, and I am betting on him to reach the half-century mark in this game.
