CHAMPIONS LEAGUE BETTING PREVIEW - ARSENAL VS ATLETICO MADRID

Champions League

2025-10-21 - Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid

A Sports Betting Preview by Auls

Arsenal v Atletico Madrid
Football: UEFA Champions League
Tuesday 21st October 2025 - Kick Off 8pm
This game is live on TV

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Arsenal

Another positive weekend has been put together for Arsenal- they did their own job by battling to a deserved win at Craven Cottage, but seeing Champions Liverpool lose again has helped The Gunners open an advantage at the top of the Premier League. Mikel Arteta's team have also made a very good start to the Champions League and Arsenal will be targeting a top eight finish to avoid having to play an extra Knock Out tie in February.

Back to back 2-0 wins in the Champions League means Arsenal are 5th in the League standings and one of six clubs that have a perfect record. Home successes were extremely important for Arsenal in the run to the Champions League Semi Final and they could have beaten Olympiacos by a much wider margin in the opening fixture at the Emirates Stadium in this competition.

Arsenal are unbeaten in 8 games in all competitions since losing at Anfield, but most important is the fact they have won 7 of those fixtures, including the last 5 in a row. The side have won 5 of the last 6 games played at the Emirates Stadium in all competitions.

The likes of Noni Madueke, Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus are out through injury, while the manager may give opportunities to some fringe players in this Champions League tie.

Atletico Madrid

It already feels like something of a two-horse race in the Spanish top flight after starts made by Barcelona and Real Madrid and that will be a concern for Atletico Madrid fans. In recent years, Diego Simeone's team have been competing with the big two Spanish clubs, but they have not been very consistent this season.

There are 8 points between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona and that is a gap that looks like it will be very difficult to bridge. Attention will turn to the Champions League this week and Atletico Madrid will be keen to push into the top eight places. They are currently 10th in the standings with 3 points on the board, although Atletico Madrid's sole away fixture ended in a 3-2 defeat at Liverpool.

Atletico Madrid are unbeaten in 6 games in all competitions since that defeat at Anfield, while they have won 4 of those fixtures including a 1-0 home win over Osasuna this past weekend. However, the majority of the best results have been earned at home and Atletico Madrid have yet to win any of 5 away games played this season in all competitions, although 3 of those have ended in draws.

Nico Gonzalez is very unlikely to travel with the squad.

Head to Head

The previous matches played between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid came in the Europa League in 2017/18.

That Semi Final meeting ended in a 2-1 aggregate win for Atletico Madrid with the game in North London ending 1-1.

Prediction

The four major absentees in the Arsenal squad are all attacking players, but there is a new depth of talent available to Mikel Arteta and the winning run has continued.

In saying that, Arsenal will still be looking for a bit more ruthlessness in the final third having created plenty of chances over the last month, but perhaps allowing teams to hang around.

Opponents have not been able to take advantage against an Arsenal defensive unit that has been very strong and who have been limiting opportunities, although 1-0 leads can be very dangerous.

Arsenal have been finding a way to score at least twice more often than not though and that is likely going to be the case on Tuesday against Atletico Madrid.

Diego Simeone's team have previously been pretty stubborn defensively, but Atletico Madrid have not reached those heights over the last twelve months. They conceded three goals at Liverpool and could have been beaten more comfortably than the eventual 3-2 scoreline, while Atletico Madrid have yet to earn an away clean sheet this season.

Atletico Madrid did finish in the top eight of the Champions League standings last season, but they lost 4-0 at Benfica and 2-1 at Real Madrid while failing to reach the Quarter Final. With the loss at Liverpool also in mind, it does feel like Atletico Madrid are a step behind the elite European teams and Arsenal are one of those right now.

Arsenal have scored at least twice in all of their home wins this season and can do the same again on Tuesday to remain perfect in this competition.

The Pick :

Arsenal 2-0 Atletico Madrid

FIXED ODDS BETTING :

I'll back Arsenal to Win & Over 1 Total Goal (Bet Builder) at 1.90 with Bet365 (early payout if a team is leading by two goals)