Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid are set for a thrilling all-Spanish clash in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday, April 8. The highly anticipated fixture takes place at the iconic Camp Nou in Catalonia. For football fans watching across Canada, the match will be broadcast live on DAZN Canada and fuboTV Canada. Kick-off is scheduled for 21:00 CET, which translates to a mid-afternoon start at 3:00 PM Eastern Time (ET) and 12:00 PM Pacific Time (PT).
This high-stakes encounter marks the third time these fierce La Liga rivals have crossed paths at this exact stage of the competition. Historically, Diego Simeone’s Atlético holds the upper hand in European knockouts, having won both of their previous Champions League quarter-final ties against Barcelona during the 2013/14 and 2015/16 seasons. Furthermore, Atlético already knocked Hansi Flick’s Barcelona out of this season’s Copa del Rey with a dramatic 4-3 aggregate victory in the semi-finals. However, Barcelona will draw significant confidence from their recent domestic success, having secured a crucial 2-1 away victory against Atleti in La Liga just days prior to this European fixture.
Both teams have demonstrated tremendous attacking prowess throughout this tournament. Barcelona has been absolutely formidable when playing at the Camp Nou, netting an incredible 19 goals in their last four home Champions League fixtures. Their overall European campaign this season features six wins, two draws, and two defeats, with 29 goals scored and 17 conceded. A key offensive threat for the hosts is young sensation Lamine Yamal, who enters this match in spectacular form, having found the back of the net in Barcelona’s last three consecutive Champions League matches.
Conversely, Atlético de Madrid’s matches have been an absolute guarantee of entertainment for neutral viewers. There have been a staggering 55 goals scored across their 12 Champions League fixtures so far this season. Their overall tournament record stands at six victories, two draws, and four defeats, scoring 31 goals while conceding 24. Argentine forward Julián Alvarez spearheads their dynamic attack, boasting an impressive 14 goals in his last 17 appearances in the competition.
Looking at the Bet365 betting markets, bookmakers heavily favor the Catalan hosts to establish a first-leg advantage. A Barcelona victory is currently priced at 1.53, while an Atlético de Madrid away win stands at 5.25, and a draw is valued at 4.75. Regarding overall qualification for the semi-finals, Barcelona remains the strong favorite at 1.33 compared to Atleti’s 3.25. Finally, in the outright Champions League winner market, Barcelona is priced at 5.50, while Atlético de Madrid is considered a tournament outsider at 21.00.
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Author:
Lucas Portela
Owner, BoldGambler • Avanhandava/SP
Oddsmaker, affiliate and content creator in the iGaming industry.