Atletico Madrid vs Las Palmas Betting Tips

It’s a huge day for the Canary Islanders who are back in the top flight for the first time since 2002. They have been written off already by many in Spain and are 4/6 favourites to be relegated. Much like Cordoba last season they came through the play-offs to claim a shock promotion and Paco Herrera will know they face a mammoth task to get anything out of their opener at the Vicente Calderon.

Certainly we can’t see anything but a home win here. There will be a little less pressure or expectancy on Atletico this season after their heroic title win in 2014. The burden of being defending champions perhaps got to them at times last season and they are a side that has often relished in the underdogs tag.

Obviously they will be strong favourites to win this game but they’ll be under less scrutiny than they were when they opened up last season as title holders with a goalless draw at Rayo Vallecano. That may suit them and we could see a more free flowing Atletico display and their new-look side has impressed already picking up 2-0 and 3-0 wins against fellow La Liga sides Real Sociedad and Real Betis respectively in pre-season.

Atletico have always been very strong at home under Diego Simeone, especially at the back. They won 14 home games last season, which was only 1 fewer than they managed in their title winning campaign and with that sort of track record you have to fancy them to beat the relegation favourites at home here.

The only questions here are how much will they win by and will they concede? Atletico only conceded 1 goal in 7 pre-season games and kept 10 home clean sheets last season so the value here is surely on them winning to nil at 4/6.

Defensively they look even stronger than last year with Filipe Luis, who was a key member of their title winning side returning. Meanwhile promising centre back Jose Gimenez is now a more experienced campaigner and the 20 year old could form a formidable partnership with his ever reliable compatriot and club captain Diego Godin.

They at times have trouble breaking teams down when they park the bus but Las Palmas only had the 8th best defense in the Segunda Division last year and an Atletico side who have invested heavily over the summer should prove far too strong for them.

Therefore a comfortable win to nil should be on the cards and you can back Atletico to win 3-0 at 11/2.