Oh boy, ladies and gentlemen, have we got a match on our hands! It’s Benfica versus Atlético Madrid, a battle of titans in the league stage. Hold on to your hats and peanuts, this one might get wild.
In the one corner, we've got Atlético Madrid flaunting their secret weapon, the wall-in-human-form, Jan Oblak between the sticks with a solid 7.00 rating. On the other side, Benfica will not be the wallflowers as they put their trust in Anatoliy Trubin guarding the citadel, a measly 0.10 behind Oblak at 6.90. So close you can almost hear the bricks of the wall trembling.
Now, let's talk about the big guns. Making his mark at Atlético Madrid Antoine Griezmann really putting a solid foot forward with a 9.00 rating and José María Giménez right behind at 7.70. And don't you blink when Ángel Correa is on the field, even without any goals or shots on target, his solid 7.60 rating isn’t something to scoff at.
As for Benfica, it's Orkun Kökçü leading the line with a 7.80 rating and Nicolás Otamendi right on his tail at 7.60. Rounding out the bunch is Kerem Aktürkoğlu, he's matched his words with his performance last season with a 7.40 rating this year so far, despite the absence of any caffeine rush, if you catch my drift.
Looking at their tournament records, it's tough to call a winner. Each side is coming in hot with a flawless record of 1-0-0 in the playoffs. Recent clock-ins on the field show Atlético Madrid with a narrow victory against RB Leipzig. On the contrary, Benfica pulled through against FK Crvena zvezda with a similar good fortune. These two teams are so evenly matched right now, it's like watching a couple of sumo wrestlers trying to push each other out of a kiddie pool.
To conclude, I know you're all expecting a tie with EVERYTHING screaming it. But sometimes, peanuts don’t taste good without the hint of salt. Thus, in the face-off of equally formidable teams, I believe Atlético Madrid will pull off a razor-thin victory. It’s the smallest of margins but at least it’s not a tie.
Albert’s Prediction: Atlético Madrid by 1