CONCACAF Champions League Quarterfinals Leg 1 Odds & Picks: Atlanta vs Philadelphia & Toronto vs Cruz Azul

• Atlanta United is 5-0-0 all-time at home or neutral venues in CONCACAF Champions League play and will host Philadelphia on Tuesday, April 27, in the first leg of their quarterfinal
• Toronto FC hosts Mexican league leader Cruz Azul, which is unbeaten in its last 16 games in all competitions, in another quarter-final tie on Tuesday night
• Read on for betting odds, a full preview and best bets for the first two of the four CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals

For the first time in over a calendar year, Eastern Conference MLS rivals Atlanta United and the Philadelphia Union will lock horns starting Tuesday night with a CONCACAF Champions League semi-final berth on the line. The last time the two teams met was in 2019, when Atlanta dumped Philly out of the MLS Cup playoffs in the conference semi-finals with a 2-0 victory.

While the all-MLS tie will capture most of the headlines, Toronto FC also play a quarter-final Tuesday night, when the Canadian club hosts six-time CONCACAF Champions League winner Cruz Azul, which is unbeaten in its past 16 games, winning 14 of those matches.

Atlanta United vs Philadelphia Union Odds

Odds as of April 27 at DraftKings

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Atlanta Hoping for Continued Dominance

In seven all-time meetings between the two sides, Philadelphia has only once emerged on the victorious side of the equation, and never on Atlanta’s home turf.

Atlanta is 3-0-1 in games between the rivals at Mercedes-Benz Stadium – including 2019’s MLS Cup playoff victory – and holds a clear 9-2 edge in goals scored in those games. Even on the road, back in Philadelphia, the series is split evenly, with the sides sharing a win apiece and a draw, with both teams scoring exactly five goals.

Atlanta United is through to the quarterfinals of the Concacaf Champions League #UniteAndConquer pic.twitter.com/IDCTkJwmxl

— The18 (@the18com) April 14, 2021

So Gabriel Heinze’s team will be confident heading into Tuesday evening’s matchup, particularly when you factor in the team’s perfect 5-0-0 record in home or neutral Champions League games, along with Atlanta’s 324-minute run without conceding a goal in the competition, dating back to last year.

Martinez the Danger Man

As ever, Venezuelan marksman Josef Martinez is the main man for Atlanta, both in its rivalry with Philadelphia and in the team’s previous Champions League campaigns. Martinez leads United with five career Champions League goals and has found the net seven times in previous games against the Union, in addition to setting up another pair of goals.

Josef Martinez makes to 2-0 with a ROCKET 🎯 #MLSCupPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/xzY68V5Wdv

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) October 25, 2019

However, the former MLS MVP is working his way back to full fitness after tearing his ACL last year. Martinez has played just 127 minutes so far this year courtesy of three substitute appearances, although Philadelphia head coach Jim Curtin says he fully expects Martinez to be in the starting lineup on Tuesday and is preparing as such.

Both teams have started the new MLS season on different paths, with Atlanta winning three and drawing one of its four games so far in both the regular season and the Champions League, while Philly won both its round of 16 Champions League games, but has just a tie and a loss in its first two regular-season contests.

Pick: Draw (+245)

Toronto FC vs Cruz Azul Odds

TFC Experiencing Turbulent 2021

The Chris Armas reign is off to an up-and-down start just four games in. After the joy of ousting Mexico’s Club Leon in the Champions League round of 16 –a two-legged victory achieved without many injured regulars – Toronto’s new head coach has yet to experience an MLS regular-season win. Worse still, the team had to come from behind to even grab its first point of the new season in Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Vancouver, at its home away from home in Orlando.

TFC will be without the reigning MLS MVP Alejandro Pozuelo once again on Tuesday, with the Spanish playmaker still working his way back from injury. However, while French center-back Chris Mavinga has also returned to training, the game against Cruz Azul might have come too soon for him to return to the starting lineup. On top of that, influential fullback Richie Laryea is suspended for the game.

However, TFC is a respectable 5-7-5 all-time in Champions League action and handed Cruz Azul its first loss against MLS opposition in the 2010-11 group stage, with a 2-1 victory.

Cruz-ing Along

Six-time winners of the CONCACAF Champions League – the most ever – Cruz Azul is enjoying the returns on 2021 so far. The team is top of the Mexican Liga MX with a 13-2-1 record, and since losing the first two games of its campaign, has reeled off a 16-game unbeaten streak in all competitions. Cruz Azul also romped through the round-of-16 with an 8-0 aggregate win over Haiti’s Arcahaie FC, and claimed a 3-2 win on the weekend to maintain its position atop the Mexican league table.

¡Buenos días, Azules! 💙

Acá les dejamos el resumen de la victoria de ayer, ante Atlético San Luis.

🎥 @TUDNMEX#HazQueSuceda pic.twitter.com/I7YBHw5hUS

— CRUZ AZUL (@CruzAzul) April 25, 2021

The Mexican heavyweights have also largely had their way with MLS opposition in this competition, going 6-4-1 in 11 contests, scoring 23 goals and conceding 13.

Pick: Cruz Azul (-143)

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