Real Madrid vs. Atalanta – Champions League, March 16, 2021

Real Madrid holds a slender 1-0 lead over Atalanta as the two sides head into the second leg of their Champions League Round of 16 tie on Tuesday, March 16.

The Italians played the majority of the first leg with ten men following Remo Freuler’s 17th-minute red card, although Zinedin Zidane’s men failed to put the tie to bed. Can the visitors upset the odds and turn things around on Tuesday?

Read on to find my Real Madrid vs. Atalanta prediction and betting pick.

As expected, 10bet views Real Madrid (2.10) as the frontrunner to win the second leg. That said, the big price for the home win means the Spanish club certainly isn’t the out-and-out favorite here.

We saw Atalanta (3.35) crush Valencia 8-4 on aggregate to reach last season’s UCL quarter-finals, so you’d be foolish to write off the Italian side altogether.

Despite Atalanta’s early red card in the first leg, Real Madrid wasn’t able to take control of the tie.

Granted, Los Blancos finished the game with 69% possession and 19 shots. But regardless of the team’s efforts, Ferland Mendy’s 86th-minute strike is ultimately the difference between the two teams right now.

Given the circumstances, Zidane will probably be frustrated that his players failed to build a bigger advantage. But his side is still in control.

The Spanish champions are currently enjoying a seven-match unbeaten streak in La Liga, although two of their three games since the first leg have been drawn. In fact, Zidane’s men have only lost one of their last 17 league outings, yet they still find themselves six points behind Atletico Madrid.

With key players like Dani Carvajal and Marcelo currently sidelined through injury, along with the suspended Casemiro, Los Blancos aren’t at their strongest at the moment. Still, Karim Benzema’s recent goalscoring form gives the team a genuine chance of advancing.

On the topic of goalscoring form – Atalanta secured a customary high-scoring victory last time out. La Dea beat Spezia 3-1 at the weekend, meaning they have netted over 2.5 goals in ten of their previous 18 Serie A matches.

Unfortunately, Gian Piero Gasperini’s men sit 13 points behind frontrunner Inter Milan in Italy’s top-flight. But the team clearly know what is takes to outscore opponents.

It’s fair to say that Atalanta came through a tricky UCL group earlier in the campaign. The Bergamo outfit was thrashed 5-0 by Liverpool before beating the English champions 2-0 in the reverse fixture, with wins and draws against Midtjylland and Ajax eventually getting the job done.

Given the team’s unpredictability, it is always difficult to gauge exactly how La Dea will fare from one game to the next.

If Gasperini’s men aren’t at their best, they will struggle in Madrid. But if they bring their A-game, they could easily get the better of Real.

In all honesty, this isn’t an easy game to call. Real Madrid may be the bookmakers’ favorite to win the second leg, yet I wouldn’t be surprised if Atalanta frustrated the home team.

I’m expecting Los Blancos to score, but the Italians will almost certainly get in on the action, too. With both sides capable of netting plenty of goals, I can see this clash ending in a high-scoring draw.