Atletico Madrid take on the visitors Botafogo in the round 3 match of FIFA Club World Cup. The match will be played on Monday, June 23rd at Rose Bowl (Pasadena, CA).
Atlético have been struggling for a while to make a real impact. In an effort to bounce back, they spent heavily on new signings last summer. Although they failed to land Dovbyk, La Liga's top scorer, the overall list of acquisitions looked impressive on paper. However, in practice, the effect was minimal. They failed to seriously challenge Real Madrid or Barcelona over the course of the season or in key head-to-head clashes, including the Champions League knockout stage and the Copa del Rey semi-final. At the Club World Cup, their performances have been a mixed bag. They suffered a humiliating heavy defeat against PSG, but bounced back with a 3-1 win over Seattle Sounders — although they still conceded. Now, they are in a must-win situation: anything less than three points will almost certainly leave them out of the playoff round.
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Botafogo are trying to rediscover themselves. The Lone Star club pleasantly surprised everyone last season after their heartbreaking title collapse in 2023. Under Artur Jorge, they finally claimed the Série A crown again and, for the first time, won the Copa Libertadores. However, a personal scandal forced the Portuguese manager to step down, and the team entered a period of instability. They lost the South American Supercup to Racing Club and flopped in the state championship early in the year. Still, results gradually improved. They qualified for the Copa Libertadores playoffs and climbed the domestic standings. At the Club World Cup, they started with a 3-1 win over Seattle Sounders, managing to hold on despite a nervy second half. Then they shocked PSG with a 1-0 win, thanks to a goal from Igor Jesus. Now, even a draw would be enough to secure their place in the knockout stage.
This will be the first ever meeting between Atlético Madrid and Botafogo. Cholo’s team are seen as clear favorites here. But they’ve hardly looked flawless, and the Brazilians know that all they need to do is contain their opponent. Back under 2.5 total goals.
Prediction for the match: Under 2.5 scored goals.
