Champions League: Battle for Group E Supremacy

Atletico Madrid vs Lazio

The last round of matches in the group stages of the Champions League will boast high-octane football, dramatic narratives, and suspenseful matchups. Some groups have their standings already on lock, like Bayern in Group A, Real Madrid in Group C, and Arsenal in Group B.

Meanwhile, other groups will have to fight until the last Matchday to book their tickets to the round of 16, just like the Group of Death (F) and Group H.

In the case of Group E, Matchday 6 will be a battle of supremacy and pride. Atletico Madrid and Lazio have already booked their spots in the next round of the tournament, but they still have to fight for the top spot in their cluster.

Finishing atop their group will definitely boost both Atletico and Lazio’s morale, and it would go a long way heading into the knockout phases of the UCL and in their respective top flights as well.

Talking Points

Atletico keep the pressure in Spain and UCL

Atletico Madrid don’t get enough attention and credit for having a strong start to their campaigns in both the Champions League and the Spanish top flight. Diego Simeone has led his team to back-to-back third-place finishes in La Liga, and now they find themselves in the third spot once again after their victory against Almeria.

The usual suspects got it done for Atletico against Almeria, as Alvaro Morata and Angel Correa basically shut the door on the visiting Almeria before halftime. Morata opened the game with a goal in minute 17, then Correa quickly doubled their lead in minute 22.

Almeria got one back, though, with a second-half goal courtesy of Baptistao, who gingerly tapped the ball into the goal after being deflected off of Jan Oblak. Atletico hung on, dominated the possession game, and controlled the pace of the game until the final whistle was blown.

With this win, Atletico kept the pressure for the top spot in the La Liga table alive, grabbing 34 points after 15 games and overtaking Barcelona in the third spot in the standings.

They’re doing more of the same in the Champions League, where they top their group by staying undefeated after five games. Atletico have won three of their first five matches while producing inspiring Champions League 2023 highlights by scoring 15 goals, the most in the tournament so far.

But even with this amount of success in the group stages, they’re not necessarily out of the woods yet, given that the mighty eagles of Rome are breathing down their necks with just a point separating the two teams.

Consolation for Lazio

The Eagles are not where they want to be in the Italian top flight. Maurizio Sarri and his club are having a hard time replicating their successful 2022–23 season in Serie A, where they finished the campaign as the second-best club in Italy. This season, the Eagles look uninspired, having just 21 points after 15 games.

It doesn’t help that the future of their versatile veteran, Felipe Anderson, has taken a murky turn. Lazio boss Claudio Lotito froze the contract renewal talks with the 30-year-old Anderson amidst Juventus’ interest gaining some ground

Recent reports claim that the Brazilian has already agreed to a four-and-a-half-year contract worth around €3 million, but no deal has been signed due to Lotito’s hesitation. It was said that the Lazio boss would want to see more convincing performances from the Brazilian before he’d proceed with the contract negotiations.

But to give them credit, they are faring pretty well against European football’s cream of the crop by winning three of their first five games in the group stages of the Champions League. In fact, they can very well finish the group stages as the top team in Group E if they come out as the winners against Atletico Madrid.

History

These clubs with rich football histories have only met each other four times prior to their Champions League bout this week. In those four times, Atletico have yet to taste defeat, winning three of the four games and tallying two draws.

Due to their limited matchups, they’ve only scored a total of 11 goals, with the Spanish side scoring eight and Lazio scoring just three.

In recent form in the tournament, both clubs have had a fruitful campaign, being the top-two clubs in a very competitive Group E. After five games in the tournament, Diego Simeone’s team was able to grab 11 points, while Maurizio Sarri’s side are right there with 10 points.

Both teams have won three of their last five games, but Atletico gains the upper hand by staying undefeated in the group stages, while Lazio suffered a stunning defeat against a formidable Dutch club in Feyenoord.

Betting Tip

The home team, Atletico Madrid, are the favourites to come out as the victors, as the SBOTOP Champions League 2023 odds suggest. The Spanish side are the heavy favourites with a price of 1.57, while Lazio are the underdogs at 5.10 with a draw price of 3.69.

Both clubs have been in form this season in the Champions League, and it’s undebatable that these teams can carry their own against Europe’s best clubs. Atletico at 1.57 is a solid line to consider when looking at the main lines, as it holds enough bang for your buck.

I would personally go for Atletico Madrid at 1.57, but the Asian Handicap line of Atletico Madrid at -1.00 at 2.11 is just too good to pass on. Atletico have dominated Lazio since time immemorial, and with their recent form in both the Champions League and in La Liga, there’s no sign that they’ll concede their unbeaten streak against Lazio anytime soon.

Another line worth considering is goals over 2.25 at 1.71, given that these teams average 2.75 goals whenever they go head-to-head. To add to that, Atletico have no problem finding the back of the net this season, scoring the tournament-best 15 goals in the first five games. Also, Lazio have been respectable on the attacking side, having scored seven goals in the group stages so far.

 

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