Atletico Madrid can lock up Champions League spot

Soccer Betting Lines

05/09/2008 - Madrid, Spain (Soccer Betting) - Atletico Madrid hopes to secure a spot in the Champions League on Sunday against Deportivo. But while that's Atletico's main goal, Barcelona is also just three points away in third place.

Atletico Madrid beat Espanyol on Thursday, 2-0, and can secure at least fourth in the Spanish La Liga and a Champions League berth against Deportivo.

Atletico only needs a tie and a loss by Sevilla and a loss or tie by Racing to wrap up the spot during Sunday's full schedule in La Liga.

"The locker room knows that our aspiration pass through Sundays game against Deportivo," Atletico defender Luis Amaranto Perea said. "We have to play with seriousness and be focused to get the three points and reach our goal."

Three points would put Atletico in good shape to maintain at least fourth even if Sevilla and Racing win this week.

Atletico, which is led by Sergio Aguero's 18 goals, can also keep the pressure on Barcelona with a victory. Barca was defeated by Real Madrid, 4-1, this week and is just three points ahead in third.

Deportivo still has a slim chance of qualifying for the UEFA Cup. Deportivo is four points behind Racing for the final berth in that competition.

Barcelona, which fired coach Frank Rijkaard on Thursday, hosts Mallorca, which is seventh and still in the hunt for a UEFA Cup berth. Mallorca trails Racing by three points for the final European berth.

Fifth-place Sevilla is still trying to move up to play in the Champions League and also trying to hold off clubs below it to maintain a spot in the UEFA Cup. Sevilla visits Real Betis, which can still mathematically be relegated.

Racing visits Athletic Bilbao trying to maintain its hold on sixth place while still keeping an eye on a Champions League berth.

Five other games involve teams still in the relegation battle.

Real Valladolid hosts Getafe in the lone game involving two clubs in danger of being relegated. Valladolid is three points clear and Getafe is six points out of danger.

Osasuna is one point off the drop zone and hosts Real Murcia, which is already buried in the drop zone.

Recreativo, which is even on points with Osasuna, is currently 18th and in the last relegation spot with a trip to Almeria on tap.

Valencia visits last-place Levante still trying to secure its spot in La Liga. Valencia is five points clear and can secure survival with a win.

Real Zaragoza, which is one point out of the drop zone, has the toughest task when it hosts newly-crowned champions Real Madrid.

In the only match with no impact on European berths or relegation, Villarreal hosts Espanyol.

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Big East Conference odds

Work left to do: Villanova, Syracuse, DePaul, West Virginia, Providence

Notre Dame and Louisville appear to have done enough to make the move, so we'll make them locks. The Cardinals, despite a modest RPI, are trending way up and have clinched at least a tie for third in the Big East, which should be more than enough with their pair of big road wins. Villanova got back to .500 and gets back to more solid footing. Syracuse got a very important road win and crippled a fellow contender in the process. West Virginia's fate could be in its hands Tuesday at Pitt.

Work left to do:

Villanova [18-9 (7-7), RPI: 21, SOS: 5] Pounded Rutgers to get back to .500. If Cats can get their last two (at UConn, vs. Syracuse), that should be enough with strong computer numbers and a host of wins away from The Pavilion. The Cats have beaten Texas and swept the Big 5 (never easy in Philly), but have a couple of losses to bubble teams (Xavier, Drexel), too. I still think they'll be OK, possibly even at 8-8.

Syracuse [20-8 (9-5), RPI: 53, SOS: 62] History says 10 wins will be plenty, but it might be hard for the Orange to get that last one with a final two vs. G'town, which is trying to win the league title, and at Villanova, which will be desperate for a W. The relative lack of nonconference heft and the weak computer numbers are still concerns, but the Orange have won four in a row and got a very, very big win at Providence on Saturday.

DePaul [16-12 (8-7), RPI: 54, SOS: 18] Beat Cincy and should get past South Florida to get to 9-7, but then what? They have beaten Kansas and Cal (right after the DeVon Hardin injury) earlier this season, but also have lost to Bradley and Purdue, among others. They'll likely need a couple of BE tourney wins, too, but we'll see ...

West Virginia [19-7 (8-6), RPI: 58, SOS: 125] The game at Pitt on Tuesday night could decide the Mountaineers' fate (barring a deep tournament run). They can still get to 9-7 in the Big East without it by beating Cincinnati, but the nine wins would be against UConn, Villanova, St. John's, South Florida, DePaul, Rutgers, Seton Hall twice and the Bearcats. Beating bubble foes is fine, but where's the beef? Outside of beating PG-less UCLA in nonconference play (still a top quality win), there's not a lot to fall back on (besides maybe NC State). WVU vs. Syracuse would be an interesting debate, as the teams don't play in the Big East regular season. WVU has the best win, but Cuse has played the much better schedule.

Providence [17-10 (7-7), RPI: 70, SOS: 33] The Friars likely saw their at-large hopes die at home in the four-point loss to Syracuse, barring an unexpected run to the Big East semis or more. The RPI, bad already, won't be helped by playing St. John's and South Florida in the final two league games.

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