Atletico Madrid have got to be considered favourites to go through after the 6-1 aggregate win over Besiktas in the previous round, but los Colchoneros cannot afford to take this game lightly. Hannover largely impressed against Standard Liege and they are by no means a side that can be underestimated.

Another league setback

A lot has changed at Vicente Calderon since Diego Simeone took over the reigns from Gregorio Manzano, but there is still a lot to be done if Atletico are to make this a successful season. Two defeats in last three league games saw los Colchoneros slip to 8th in La Liga, and they are now no less than eight points adrift of Champions League places. The good thing is their Europa League campaign is progressing nicely, seeing that Atletico have won seven straight games in the competition. The double win over Lazio was followed by double victory over Besiktas, so it is no wonder that los Rojiblancos are considered hot favourites in the clash with Hannover. Atletico are slowly becoming a real force to be reckoned with at Vicente Calderon and after winning four of their last five games there, losing only to Barcelona, they should be able to continue the impressive run against Hannover.

Midfielder Tiago is back in contention after recovering from a hamstring problem, meaning that Silvio Azevedo and Antonio Lopez remain the only unavailable players.

Hannover proving their worth

Everybody was surprised to see Hannover achieve a fourth-place finish in the previous Bundesliga campaign, but Mirko Slomka’s side soon proved that the good league position was not an accident. The 96ers eliminated Sevilla to reach Europa League group stages, before finishing second behind Standard Liege to reach the first knockout stage. Hannover recorded a double win over Club Brugge before being pitted against Standard Liege once again and the 6-2 aggregate victory saw them earn the tie with Atletico Madrid. The 96ers have been doing pretty well on domestic stage, with 4-1 victory over Koln followed by the narrow defeat at Alianz Arena, and there are no doubts the good performance against one of Europe’s top sides will give them something to build on before the trip to Vicente Calderon. The German side will be looking to score at least one goal in Spain and that shouldn’t be a problem with the likes of Abdellaoue, Diouf, Konan and Schlaudraff vying for two or three places up front.

Boss Mirko Slomka has no fresh injury worries, meaning he will be able to field his strongest side in Madrid.

Verdict

Atletico Madrid have been absolutely brilliant in Europa League and they are certainly the favourites to win this clash. However, Hannover have been showing a lot of potential as well, and while I don’t think they can win in Madrid, I am pretty sure they can score at least one goal. Therefore, backing both teams to score looks like the best option here.

Our prediction: Both teams to score

Odds: 1.91 (10/11)

Bookmaker: William Hill