Leicester City’s Champions League lives are hanging firmly in the balance after a 1-0 defeat in the first leg. The English champions failed to get a single shot on target in Spain as Atletico’s trademark defense put the clamps on the Foxes.
Leicester also didn’t have the greatest preparation for the second leg. They squandered a two-goal lead to Crystal Palace over the weekend to draw 2-2. After winning their first six games under new manager Craig Shakespeare, Leicester have now failed to win their last three games in a row.
One of the goalscorers in that Palace draw, central defender Robert Huth, will be suspended for the home leg after picking up another yellow card in the first leg defeat. Defensive midfielder Wilfried Ndidi is also a doubt to feature. However, captain Wes Morgan could be set to return to the heart of the defense after missing the last six games with a back injury.
At the same time, though, Leicester’s home form in Europe is impressive. They’ve won four games out of four at the King Power Stadium, and have conceded only a single goal.
Atletico Madrid are halfway toward a third trip to the Champions League semifinals in four years. The Spanish side produced a trademark performance to get the 1-0 first leg win. Atlelti now have seven wins in nine Champions League games this season – the most out of any club at this stage of the competition.
The advantage will firmly be in Atletico’s side heading into the second leg. A draw of any kind will suit them just fine because of their one-goal advantage, and they are experts at grinding out those types of results. They are unbeaten in their last 12 away games in all competitions.
Atleti showed in the first leg exactly why they were such a terrible matchup for Leicester. They denied the Foxes the space they need to create their scoring opportunities. Now that they have a lead to protect, they should be even more adamant about not venturing too far forward and exposing themselves to Leicester’s counterattacks.
And with Leicester in need of a goal and more likely to push men forward, Atleti have the attacking quality with Antoine Griezmann and Yannick Ferriera Carrasco to hit Leicester on the counterattack and get an all-important away goal.
Writer’s Prediction
Atletico (-102) end the Leicester City fairy tale with a 1-0 away win.
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