The second leg of the Champions League Round of 16 match between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid promises to be an exciting affair with a place in the quarter-finals on the line. This particular Madrid derby is expected to be a physical game with both teams fighting to stay in Europe’s top competition. A player in good form is Real Madrid’s number 7, Vinicius Jr who scored against Rayo Vallecano last weekend and also had two shots on target. I’m tipping Both Teams to be Shown 1+ Card and Vini Jr to Have 1+ Shot on Target at 1.79.
Yellow Card Stats
In the high stakes nature of the Champions League, heavy tackles and yellow cards are inevitable. Both teams have been involved in plenty of disciplinary action this season, making it likely that the referee will brandish a few cards.
In all competitions, Atletico Madrid have accumulated 77 yellow cards in 36 games (2.1 per match), while Real Madrid have 72 yellow cards in 39 games (1.8 per match). With both teams averaging over 1.5 cards per game, it’s safe to assume there will be a minimum of one yellow card for each side tonight.
In terms of cynical players to watch, José María Giménez of Atletico Madrid has four yellow cards in just seven Champions League appearances this season. With Real Madrid’s fast and skilful attackers, Giménez could be one of the Atletico defenders to be drawn into making a late challenge, leading to a card.
Shots on Target for Vini Jr?
Vini Jr has been in fantastic form, scoring five goals in his last 10 games including a hat-trick against Osasuna. Over that stretch, he’s had 14 shots on target, averaging 1.4 per game. His Champions League shooting stats are even better with an average of 1.8 shots on target per game proving his attacking threat has definitely been a key factor in Real Madrid’s success this season.
In the first leg against Atletico, Vini Jr had one shot on target and will no doubt be looking to test Thibaut Courtois again in the second leg. Given his form, he won’t hesitate to shoot when the opportunity arises.
The First Leg Recap
The first leg was an exciting contest, with Real Madrid emerging 2-1 winners. Stunning long-range goals from Rodrygo and Julian Alvarez, along with a clever strike from Brahim Diaz, gave Madrid the advantage. Atletico now face a tough task to overturn the deficit when they face Real again on Wednesday night.
Bet £10 and get £30 in FREE bets with BetUK
