Manchester, United Kingdom, March 15, 2022 (AFP) – Atletico Madrid qualified for the Champions League quarter-finals after beating Manchester United 1-0 in the second leg at Old Trafford.
A header from Brazilian left-back Renan Lodi (41) gave Atlético a place in the next stage, after the 1-1 draw in the first leg in Madrid.
The Rojiblanco are back in the top eight on the continent after two seasons, reaching this stage for the last time in 2020.
Atlético Madrid coach Diego Simeone was happy and praised his players: “It was a general effort, I want to highlight teamwork, the team knows what they have to do”,
Argentinian midfielder Rodrigo de Paul also praised his team’s behavior on the field and was happy with the classification: “We played a great match, we knew when to attack, when to press, when to suffer, we are in the next stage and very happy,” the player celebrated.
Without the away goals rule being more valid as a playoff condition, both teams entered the field with an all-or-nothing margin.
Encouraged by their supporters, Manchester United got off to a strong start, stifling Atletico Madrid, who had been struggling to shake off the local pressure.
Fifteen minutes later, Anthony Ilanga, England’s top scorer in the first leg, hit the goal, but Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak managed to save his face (14).
Rodrigo de Paul responded with a long shot that forced David de Gea to fly (15).
– Decisive Lodi – Atletico could only resort to quick counter-attacks against United, with Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo being very active on the left side.
Manchester controlled the ball but couldn’t find accuracy in the final metres, while Atletico slowly began to shake off the pressure of the home team with a run through the wings.
Half an hour later, the goal of the Portuguese striker for Madrid, Joao Felix, was disallowed for offside (34), but a little later, Atletico managed to attack again with more luck.
Felix bounced the ball to Antoine Griezmann, who lifted the ball from the right flank to the far post, where Lodi headed to make the score 1-0 (41).
The goal fell like a bucket of cold water at the Teatro dos Sonhos, as Bruno Fernandez before the break almost equalized with a shot from a defensive distance from Oblak (45 + 2).
The ‘rojiblanco’ goalkeeper is back to show his talent at a time when his team needed him most.
Buoyed by the result, Manchester United came back from the break ready to score, pressed and put Atletico at the back, but struggled to find holes in the red and white wall.
Resistance – The good organization of the visitors forced the “Red Devils” to take refuge in the wings, as Jadon Sancho and Ilanga appeared at the ball show in the area.
Atletico, after a timid attempt at high pressure, defended the score behind them, looking forward to the counter-attack.
Diego Simeone’s team almost expanded when Harry Maguire’s mistake ended with a long-range shot from De Paul that goalkeeper De Gea (52) barely saved.
United, fighting against the clock, advanced further with the entry of Marcus Rashford in place of Ilanga (67) and Edinson Cavani in place of Fred (75) looking to give more firepower to their attack.
England almost equalized again with a header in the area through Raphael Varane that Oblak veered (78).
In the last minutes, the match turned into an attack from United, who faced Atletico closed, and in the end managed to secure their place in the next stage.
Manchester United coach Ralf Rangnick lamented the defeat and recalled Atletico’s defensive strength, noting that “it is not easy to break through this wall. I don’t think we have the fitness to break the Atletico barrier.”
gr / mcd / yyyy
“Food fanatic. Organizer. Hipster-friendly tv specialist. Avid reader. Devoted web ninja.”
