Manchester United v Atletico Madrid predictions: Lively second leg looks likely

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Manchester United v Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday.

Where to watch

BT Sport 2, 8pm Tuesday

Best bets

Both teams to score
3pts 19-20 bet365

Jadon Sancho to score at any time
1pt 4-1 bet365

Team news

Manchester United
Luke Shaw, Bruno Fernandes and Scott McTominay should all be available after missing the weekend win over Tottenham.

Atletico Madrid
Yannick Carrasco is suspended and Atletico are missing the injured Jose Gimenez, Matheus Cunha, Daniel Wass, Sime Vrsaljko and Thomas Lemar. Mario Hermoso and Geoffrey Kondogbia are in the squad.

Match preview

Manchester United's last four European campaigns all ended with defeats to Spanish clubs and United can expect another tough test in the home leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against Atletico Madrid.

This time United have Cristiano Ronaldo in their ranks, fresh from a match-winning hat-trick against Tottenham on Saturday, although teammate Jadon Sancho is in top form and could be the one to make the headlines.

The Red Devils need someone to break their Spanish jinx. They lost 11-10 on penalties to Villarreal in last season's Europa League final, having been beaten by Sevilla in the semi-finals of the same competition in 2019-20.

They reached the Champions League knockout stages in 2017-18 and 2018-19, bowing out against Sevilla and Barcelona, and Atletico are aiming to deliver more pain from Spain to Old Trafford.

Diego Simeone's men took a seventh-minute lead in the first leg thanks to a brilliant Joao Felix header – a scenario that, in past seasons, would have effectively ended United's hopes of progressing given Atletico's defensive excellence.

However, Atleti's standards have dropped alarmingly this term and Anthony Elanga's coolly-taken 80th-minute equaliser means the Red Devils are favourites at the halfway point of the tie.

Punters could come up with long lists of pros and cons about these two inconsistent sides and the best bet may be to back both teams to score in an engrossing second leg.

United's defence was brutally exposed by Manchester City in a 4-1 Premier League derby drubbing on March 6 and they were hardly convincing at the back in Saturday's 3-2 home win over Tottenham.

Ronaldo bailed out his teammates with a hat-trick, having eight of United's ten shots on goal, but the under-pressure Harry Maguire scored an own goal and Red Devils supporters will be wary of Atletico's attacking talent.

First-leg goalscorer Felix could start up front alongside Antoine Griezmann, who will be hoping to cause problems for his France teammate Raphael Varane, while former Liverpool star Luis Suarez is another option.

Atletico were always renowned for their attritional, ultra-competitive approach under Simeone but, unusually, attack may be the best form of defence for the 2022 vintage, who could be without eight senior players for the trip to Manchester.

They have found clean sheets hard to come by this season, particularly away from home where their only shutouts in 19 matches were against Osasuna in La Liga and third-tier Rayo Majadahonda.

Real Madrid legend Ronaldo is the obvious threat to the Atletico rearguard but Sancho is enjoying his best run of form since arriving at Old Trafford last summer and he is worth backing to score at any time.

The England winger, who scored a cracking early goal in the rout at City, had limited opportunities under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer but has become a key part of Ralf Rangnick's plans, playing the full 90 minutes in five of United's last seven league games.

Sancho scored his first goal for the Red Devils in a 2-0 win over Villarreal on matchday six of the group stage and he can trouble another La Liga defence in the last 16.

Key stat

Both teams have scored in 13 of Atletico Madrid's 19 away matches in all competitions this season.

Inside info

Manchester United

Penalty taker Cristiano Ronaldo
Free-kick wizard Cristiano Ronaldo
Set-piece aerial threat Harry Maguire
Card magnet Harry Maguire

Atletico Madrid

Penalty taker Luis Suarez/Antoine Griezmann
Free-kick wizard Luis Suarez/Antoine Griezmann
Set-piece aerial threat Felipe
Card magnet Felipe

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