Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid Predictions, Picks & Odds for Today's Champions League Semifinal

James Bisson - Head of Content, Betting
James Bisson • Head of Content, Betting 16+ years betting experience
Updated: May 5, 2026 , 12:13 PM ET • 4 min read

Rosu's prediction: Scoring is slim at Emirates.

Atletico de Madrid's Julian Alvarez in action.
Photo By - Reuters Connect. Atletico de Madrid's Julian Alvarez during Champions League 2025 2026, semifinal, first leg match

This game is going to be a nail-biter, as both Arsenal and Atletico Madrid will struggle to run up the score.

As a result, my Arsenal vs. Atletico Madrid predictions and free betting picks for Tuesday, May 5, are backing the Under.

Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid picks and predictions

My Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid best bet: Under 2.5 goals (-122 at Sports Interaction)

Arsenal’s recent Champions League trend points clearly toward low-scoring games, with their last five matches all producing under 2.5 goals.

Under Mikel Arteta, the team has developed into one of the most defensively solid sides in the competition, conceding just 0.65 goals per game (24 in 37 matches), the best record among managers with at least 20 games.

Goalkeeper David Raya has been crucial, leading in both goals prevented and clean sheets (14) since last season.

Atletico Madrid already felt how hard Arsenal are to break down, and with high stakes involved, another tight, low-scoring encounter appears likely.

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Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid same-game parlay (SGP)

Julian Alvarez 2+ shots on target

Under 2.5 goals

Over 10.5 corners

Over 3.5 cards

Atlético Madrid’s Julián Álvarez has averaged a goal or assist every 80 minutes in his Champions League career (34 in 2,710 minutes, 25 goals and 9 assists). Of strikers with 20+ goal involvements in the competition, only Erling Haaland (74) has a better ratio. He was Atletico's dangerman in the first leg as well, netting their only goal. This season, he's already scored 10 goals in 14 outings, also assisting four times. I'm counting on another solid performance from him.

After the 1-1 draw last week, it's hard to see any of the two sides going all-out attack mode at the Emirates. It's unlikely to witness many goals in this battle for the final. Arsenal's previous five Champions League matches went under 2.5 goals.

The Gunners have scored the highest number of goals following corners in the English league. They look for more of the same in the Champions League. They will be looking to make set-pieces count, and I'm including the over 10.5 corners in my parlay.

To get my return to a nice +1,450, I'm counting on cards too. It's going to be heated at the Emirates, and German ref Daniel Siebert is no pushover. He averages 5.44 bookings per game in the Champions League, showing a total of 49 cards across nine encounters.

Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid odds

Arsenal Arsenal Atletico Madrid Atletico Madrid
-161 Moneyline +450
+290 Draw +290
Over 2.5 (-114) Total Under 2.5 (-122)

Odds courtesy of Sports Interaction.

How to watch Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid

Location Emirates Stadium, London, England
Date Tuesday, May 5, 2026
Time 3:00 p.m. ET
TV Paramount+
Weather Light rain. 

Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid key injuries

Arsenal: Jurriën Timber (Out), Mikel Merino (Out), Kai Havertz (Out).
Atletico Madrid:  José María Giménez (Out), Pablo Barrios (Out), Nico González (Out).

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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James Bisson
Head of Content, Betting

James Bisson is the Editor-in-Chief at Covers. He has been a writer, reporter and editor for more than 20 years, including a nine-year stint with The Canadian Press and more than five years at theScore. He has covered dozens of marquee events including the 2010 Winter Olympics, the 2006 Stanley Cup final and Wrestlemania 23, and his work has appeared in more than 200 publications, including the Los Angeles Times, the Guardian, Yahoo! Sports, the Toronto Star and The Globe and Mail.

His book, “100 Greatest Canadian Sports Moments”, was a hardcover best-seller in Canada in 2008 and earned him appearances on CBC Radio and Canada AM. He has written more than 50 sportsbook reviews, more than 200 industry news articles, and dozens of other sportsbook-related content articles.

A graduate of the broadcast journalism program at Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University), James has been an avid bettor since the early 2000s, and cites bet365 as his favorite sports betting site due to its superior functionality and quick payouts. His biggest professional highlight: Covering Canada's first Olympic gold medal on home soil – and interviewing Bret Hart. Twice.

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