Atlético's curse in the Champions League is still alive and well. The Colchonero team once again took a knee in the top continental competition, victim of a real roller coaster in Dortmund that penalized an excessively conservative approach through the enormous punch of Borussia. And the thing is that the colchonero team, which was dead after a horrible first half, resurrected after the break and when they had the tie again in their pocket, they gave up meters and paid for it in a final stretch with the German team overturned, supported by that cauldron what it has as a stadium.
No trace of Atlético's intense pressure at the Metropolitano, the one with which they overcame Dortmund in Madrid for an hour. He did not take advantage of his best moment at home and that took him to the German fiefdom with a minimal advantage. To defend it, Simeone opted for retreating into his domain, with the aim of avoiding excessive wear and tear in pursuit of the ball.
The first athletic incursion into enemy territory was expensive, as it gave rise to the counterattack led by Adeyemi that culminated in a clear chance for Sabitzer, who was slow due to the attempt to accommodate the shot to the left instead of finishing with his right foot first. It allowed Azpilicueta to reject the ball when the goal was called in the Westfalenstadion cauldron.
Dortmund
Kobel, Ryerson, Hummels, Schlotterbeck, Maatsen, Sabitzer, Emre Can, Adeyemi (Bynoe-Gittens, min. 66), Brandt (Reus, min. 90), Sancho (Ozcan, min. 86) and Füllkrug.
4
–
2
Athletic
Oblak, Molina (Barrios, min. 46), Witsel, Giménez, Hermoso, Azpilicueta (Riquelme, min. 46), Llorente, Koke, De Paul (Saúl, min. 84), Griezmann and Morata (Correa, min. 46) .
-
Goals:
1-0: min. 34, Brandt. 2-0: min. 39, Maatsen. 2-1: min. 49, Hummels, own goal. 2-2: min. 64, Strap. 3-2: min. 71, Füllkrug. 4-2: min. 74, Sabitzer. -
Referee:
Slavko Vincic (Slovenia). He booked Azpilicueta, Ryerson and Hermoso. -
Incidents:
Second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals played at the Westfalenstadion.
It was a hectic start, as without a break Morata exploited his speed and was as precise in his driving as he was inaccurate in his definition, going one-on-one against Kobel. Simeone twisted his gesture on the sideline, aware of the enormous wasted opportunity to hit the table and deactivate the intimidating 'borussier' atmosphere at the first opportunity.
Atlético missed the opportunity and prepared to resist the German offensive near their area. The mattress team played with fire, as Dortmund got into dangerous positions too easily. The German team is very dangerous after every slight athletic error in the release of the ball, a fundamental aspect in the decision of the tie. The Madrid team revealed a crack, almost a hole, between Witsel and Molina, and that's where Hummels found Brandt, well in the control, the turn and the left-footed shot, which slipped under Oblak's arm to equalize the eliminatory.
Atlético, locked in their own domain, without smelling the ball and with a real highway for Dortmund's attackers on the right side of their defense, fell into a state of shock during a final stretch of the first half to be forgotten. Once again between Molina and Witsel Borussia found the key to the goal, and this time Maatsen did not need any collaboration from Oblak, as he blocked a left-footed shot that hit the post, unappealable.
The best news for Atlético at halftime was that it was still alive, one goal away from tying the tie. Little more than taking to the mouth of an inexplicable first part, which bordered on the ridiculous mattress. He had to hit the table and Cholo took its toll on footballers like Molina or Morata. He also took a step forward with Riquelme as winger and soon found himself with a stroke of fortune, as Hermoso's header after a corner kick was poisoned by Hummels' attempted clearance towards his own goal.
Resurrection and step back
Rescued by providence, Atlético was also accompanied by a change in attitude to take a step forward in putting pressure on the rival. Koke confirmed it with a cathedral-like deep pass, but Correa did not take advantage of it, with a definition inversely proportional to the assist in terms of quality. Second obvious opportunity wasted in the match, too much concession, thought Simeone, lying on his technical area. A friend of the cabal like a good Argentine, Cholo feared the worst, but his compatriot Correa took charge of allaying his fears, taking advantage of a rejected ball after his own shot to score the equalizer.
Once the resurrection was complete, Atlético returned to the retreat with which life had been so complicated. Step back and punishment, the one that was signed by the Füllkrug tank, an old-fashioned German battering ram, with an impeccable header. Once again the red and white demons were unleashed and the blatant Colchonero step back emboldened Dortmund, carried by their unwavering fans. Sabitzer cut in front and with his left placed it far from Oblak's reach to turn the tables in the second twist of the script of the match.
With everything lost, Atlético once again moved away from its domains. It was too late and even his effort to force extra time gave Borussia chances for the sentence. Give and take, a hallmark of Dortmund, whose bravery was rewarded against Simeone's conservative proposal.
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