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We’re in Italy on matchday six of the UEFA Champions League, as Serie A side Atalanta welcome English Premier League outfit Chelsea.
You can follow all the action from the New Balance Arena on television and the best live streaming apps with a 20:00 GMT kick-off. The leading bookmakers offer pre-match betting odds, specials, and bonuses.
Which team will come out on top and secure all three points at a vital stage of the tournament? Chelsea are currently three places higher in the table than their hosts, but both clubs are locked on ten points.
The winner of Tuesday’s match will boost their chances of booking a spot in the finals, leaving the loser facing the possibility of entering the playoffs.
There has been little between Atalanta and Chelsea so far in this competition, and that’s reflected in a competitive pre-match betting market.
Will the Italians use home advantage to snatch a third win on the bounce? Will Chelsea take victory back to London, stretching their unbeaten record to five games? Football betting writer Frank Monkhouse presents his picks.
Atalanta v Chelsea tips
Over 2.5 goals @ 8/11 (bet365)
Chelsea win or draw @ 2/7 (bet365)
Both teams to score @ 4/7 (bet365)
Odds courtesy of bet365. Correct at the time of publication and subject to change.
Back goals in Bergamo
Atalanta return to Bergamo, Lombardy, for a match that could determine where they go next in this year’s Champions League. Beat Chelsea before a bumper crowd, and Raffaele Palladino’s men will leapfrog the Blues into the top eight, boosting their chances of securing an automatic slot in the knockout rounds. They have three wins and a draw in their last four.
Chelsea make the trip to Italy with almost identical stats to their hosts. Both clubs suffered defeat in their opening match, but steadied the ship with three wins and a draw from their next four. Chelsea are just ahead of Atalanta on goal difference, with the EPL side scoring six more goals and conceding one more. Will that firepower make the difference here?
I’m confident that followers at the stadium and those watching live on TV will see plenty of goals. Our first bet is on Atalanta vs Chelsea to produce three or more goals from both teams combined. That would’ve been a winning bet when Atalanta hammered Frankfurt 3-0 in Germany, and when Chelsea beat Barcelona 3-0 in London on matchday five.
Tip: Over 2.5 goals @ 8/11 (be365)
Bet explanation: You need Atalanta and Chelsea to score at least three goals combined.
Blues to win on the road
Our second bet on Tuesday evening is Chelsea or draw in the double chance market. If you follow this prediction, anything but a home win will boost your balance. Interestingly, another 3-0 win for Chelsea in the Champions League pays the same as a dull goalless draw. You need Chelsea to avoid defeat at all costs, just like they did in their last four UCL games.
Backers take confidence from the visitor’s recent form in the Champions League and the Premier League. The Londoners played six games last month, with the results showing four wins and a couple of draws. They opened November with a 1-0 victory over Tottenham on the road, before drawing with Qarabag, and beating Wolves, Burnley, and Barcelona.
We also saw Chelsea hold Premier League leaders Arsenal to a draw at Stamford Bridge, despite playing most of that match with ten men. The Blues opened the scoring through Chalobah on 48 minutes, before Merino struck a leveller for Arsenal on the hour mark. A bet on Chelsea or draw would’ve made you a profit in each of those six games.
Tip: Chelsea or draw @ 2/7 (bet365)
Bet explanation: If Chelsea avoid defeat to Atalanta, your bet wins.
The Orobics and Blues to score
Our third and final pick in the Atalanta v Chelsea match is for both teams to score. You can follow this one as a single, but the odds make it best suited to your midweek accumulators. It’s an easy bet to place, and it’s just as simple to follow. You need Atalanta and Chelsea to find the net at least once each during the match. The winner and scorers aren’t important.
Looking at the results section of the Flashscore app, we notice that both teams to score was a smart wager when Atalanta beat Club Brugge 2-1 here near the end of September. It was also a winner when Chelsea lost 3-1 at Bayern Munich earlier that month. In October, Chelsea beat Ajax 5-1 in a real show of strength, showing their class against the Dutch side.
Moving to November, and there’s more to go on. Chelsea drew 2-2 on the road when playing Qarabag. That was a match the Brits were expected to win, and they had chances to do so. Chelsea scored through Estevao and Garnacho. They conceded goals to Andrade and Jankovic, with the second coming from the penalty spot. Another exciting night is likely.
Tip: Both teams to score @ 4/7 (bet365)
Bet explanation: If Atalanta and Chelsea score at least one goal each, your bet wins.
Atalanta v Chelsea odds
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The odds, correct at the time of publication, are subject to change.