Club Brugge vs Atletico Madrid predictions and betting tips – Simeone’s side seek success

Atletico Madrid missed out on the top eight of the Champions League league phase, so they must go through the knockout stage play-offs. Club Brugge are their opponents in this two-legged tie.

With Atletico have too much quality for the Belgian outfit over 180 minutes, or can Club Brugge spring a surprise against Diego Simeone’s side?

• Club Brugge win or a draw – 5/6 with Tote
• Under 2.5 goals – 5/4 with QuinnBet
• Nicolo Tresoldi to score any time – 3/1 with 247Bet

Club Brugge vs Atletico Madrid odds

Find the latest Club Brugge vs Atletico Madrid betting odds here. All odds are provided by our recommended football bookmakers and are subject to change.

Club Brugge vs Atletico Madrid predictions

Atletico Madrid are a funny old team.

Last Thursday, a stunning showing against Barcelona gave Diego Simeone’s side a 4-0 victory over Barcelona in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final.

Three days later, Atletico were beaten 3-0 by relegation battlers Rayo Vallecano in La Liga. Even chalk and cheese are not as different as Atletico’s two most recent performances.

On balance, they probably got things just about the right way around. Barring a complete collapse in the second leg at the Camp Nou, Atletico will surely advance to the Copa del Rey final. 

With Real Madrid already eliminated, Simeone would fancy his side’s chances against either Athletic Club or Real Sociedad in the tournament showpiece. Another trophy is tantalisingly within reach.

Meanwhile, Atletico are still in a decent position to qualify for the Champions League. Even after that loss to Rayo Vallecano, they are four points clear of Real Betis in fifth. 

With a 10-point advantage over sixth-placed Espanyol, Atletico would almost certainly qualify if Spain go on to earn an additional seat at Europe’s top table.

Yet those two results illustrate why Atletico are so frustrating. At their best, they can compete with any team in Europe. At their worst, they can be made to look very ordinary by sides that could be in the Segunda Division in a few months’ time.

There is talk around the Riyadh Air Metropolitano that this could be Simeone’s final season as Atletico manager. In fairness, these rumours have surfaced many times in the past, yet the Argentine has remained in position since December 2011.

Much will depend on how the season ends and whether Simeone still feels he can take the club forward. He has done a magnificent job in his 15 years at the helm, winning two La Liga titles and reaching two Champions League finals. But some people at Atletico are openly asking if things have gone stale.

A healthy victory over Club Brugge on Wednesday would do Simeone no harm. Atletico finished 14th in the league phase, three points adrift of the top eight, and must therefore win a two-legged play-off in order to reach the last 16. 

Club Brugge finished five places and three points behind their upcoming opponents. They made it through to the round of 16 last term and are hoping to replicate that achievement in 2025/26.

Club Brugge vs Atletico Madrid betting tips

Club Brugge host Atletico Madrid in the first leg of this Champions League play-off.

Atletico face test

Atletico Madrid are favourites to advance to the round of 16, but they may need a win in the home leg to go through.

This will be a difficult match for the Spanish side. Club Brugge are a decent team, especially at home. They lost just one out of four games at the Jan Breydel Stadium in the league phase.

Barcelona were among the visiting teams to fall short in Brugge, drawing 3-3 in an eventful encounter in November.

Atletico, for their part, emerged victorious just once in their four away matches in the first part of the competition. A draw might be the best they can hope for on Wednesday.

Back a Club Brugge win or a draw at 5/6 with Tote

Tight first leg?

In the early days under Simeone, Atletico Madrid were predominantly a defensive team.

As time has gone on, they have had to evolve. In big matches Atletico often revert to type, keeping things tight at the back and ceding possession to their opponents.

But their eight games in the league phase contained 32 goals, somewhat challenging the cliche. 

Having said that, under 2.5 goals looks like excellent value. Remember, two-legged ties are different to one-off matches. First legs in particular are often cagey affairs, with both sides keen to stay in the tie first and foremost.

Choose under 2.5 goals at 5/4 with QuinnBet

Tresoldi good value

Due to their position in the footballing pecking order, Club Brugge are used to losing their best players.

Igor Thiago, who is winning so many plaudits at Brentford this term, belonged to the Belgian side up until the summer of 2024.

Last year, another key attacking player departed the Jan Breydel Stadium as Andreas Skov Olsen moved to Wolfsburg.

Nicolo Tresoldi could be next out of the door. He only joined Club Brugge last summer and has a contract until 2029, but the 21-year-old has impressed this season.

Atletico Madrid will have to be mindful of Tresoldi throughout Wednesday’s contest.

Tip Nicolo Tresoldi to score any time at 3/1 with 247Bet

Club Brugge vs Atletico Madrid predicted lineups

• Club Brugge expected lineup: Mignolet; Sabbe, Ordonez, Mechele, Seys; Stankovic, Onyedika; Forbs, Vanaken, Tzolis; Tresoldi.
• Atletico Madrid expected lineup: Oblak; Molina, Pubill, Hancko, Ruggeri; Simeone, Llorente, Koke, Lookman; Alvarez, Sorloth.

Where to watch Club Brugge vs Atletico Madrid

• Location: Jan Breydel Stadium, Brugge, Belgium.
• Date and time: Wednesday 18th January, 8pm.
• How to watch: TNT Sports 3.

More Champions League predictions

We have plenty more Champions League predictions and picks – find our latest betting tips from expert punters in our match preview overview.

About the author

Greg Lea

Greg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.

Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootball

Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to talkSPORT. 18+. T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org

Remember to gamble responsibly

A responsible gambler is someone who:

• Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
• Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
• Never chase their losses
• Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
• Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
• GambleAware – www.gambleaware.org

Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.

For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.