Seattle Sounders face a major challenge in trying to stop Atlético Madrid’s fast, skillful attack. One of the players tasked with this is captain Jackson Ragen, who will likely have to mark Julián Álvarez and Antoine Griezmann closely.

Ragen is a key part of a defensive unit that has struggled recently, conceding eight goals in their last three matches. With several injuries in the squad, Seattle’s defensive issues have worsened, increasing pressure from fans and players alike.

Across the MLS and CONCACAF Champions League, Ragen has committed 15 fouls in 14 appearances this season. In the tournament opener against Botafogo, he also committed one foul. Against an even stronger side like Atlético, this betting line is likely to hit again.

Julián Álvarez finished the 2024/25 season as Atlético Madrid’s top scorer, with 29 goals in 54 matches in his first campaign under Diego Simeone. In La Liga, he scored 17 goals in 37 appearances, averaging 1.47 shots on target per 90 minutes.

He also impressed in the Champions League, scoring seven times in 10 games, with 22 total shots and 11 on target—averaging 2.51 and 1.25 per 90 minutes, respectively. These numbers highlight Álvarez as a constant threat, especially against technically inferior sides.

In their opener against Botafogo, Seattle Sounders allowed 12 total shots, six on target, and conceded two goals. These numbers emphasize the fragility of Seattle’s defense. In the MLS, they’ve conceded 25 goals in 18 matches. All this strengthens the case for Álvarez to increase his shots-on-target average.

Despite being thrashed by PSG, Atlético Madrid are still theoretically favored to secure the second spot in Group B of the Club World Cup. For that to happen, they must beat the hosts, Seattle Sounders.

Diego Simeone’s team have shown some struggles against similarly strong or stronger opponents at the end of the season. However, when facing weaker sides, they’ve won convincingly. Clear examples are the big wins over Girona, Betis, Real Sociedad, and Rayo Vallecano.

Across the season, Atlético scored 68 goals in 38 La Liga matches (1.78 per game). In the Champions League, they also performed well in front of goal with 21 goals in 10 matches (2.1 per game).

As for their opponents, Seattle Sounders reached the Club World Cup after a very inconsistent season and with low expectations. In the CONCACAF Champions League, they were eliminated in the Round of 16 by Cruz Azul, losing 4–1 on aggregate. In the MLS, they are currently 14th overall and 6th in the Western Conference, with a record of seven wins, five draws, and six losses in 18 matches.

Thus, Atlético’s favoritism is clear, especially with a run of 21 goals scored and 11 conceded in their last 10 games. Facing a defensive system that has conceded 25 goals in 18 MLS matches, the expectation is for Los Colchoneros to win convincingly.

Despite playing in different leagues, Seattle Sounders and Atlético Madrid share similarities in terms of corner statistics. Both teams average under 10 total corners per match in their respective leagues.

In this MLS season, Seattle Sounders rank mid-table for corners, averaging 9.67 total corners per match—5.78 in favor and 3.89 against. Interestingly, they are among the top 3 for corners taken and among the bottom 4 for corners conceded.

Atlético Madrid, meanwhile, had the 3rd lowest average for total corners in La Liga, with just 8.78 per match—4.92 in favor and 3.86 against.

These stats indicate that both teams concede few corners to their opponents, which supports the prediction for a low total corner count in this match. For example, both teams’ tournament openers stayed within the suggested line.

Against Botafogo, Seattle Sounders took four corners and conceded none. Meanwhile, in the heavy defeat to PSG, Atlético had two corners and conceded four.