Champions League, day 2 – Atlético overthrows AC Milan (1-2) thanks to Griezmann and Suarez

We’ll end up calling it “Atletico Time”. On the lawn of AC Milan, the players of Diego Simeone, led since the 20th minute but in numerical superiority for more than an hour, reversed the trend in the last moments of the game, Tuesday evening, thanks to the first goal Antoine Griezmann and a controversial penalty from Luis Suarez seven minutes after the end of regulation time. The Milanese may have regrets: they are last in Group B after this frustrating new defeat, the second in as many Champions League games.

Stefano Pioli’s players were however warned: this season, the Madrid team is never more dangerous than in the last minutes of a meeting. The theorem has been confirmed three times in La Liga and has just found a European equivalent. This time, to save the Madrilenians, it took a great Antoine Griezmann. Left on the bench by El Cholo, the world champion entered on time, before finding the nets on a wonderful volley, which left Mike Maignan speechless (1-1, 84th).

What interrupt the whistles of Colchoneros supporters against him? This goal may not be enough, for now, although the euphoria of the latter will last all night. They did not recognize their players at the start of the match, amorphous, jostled by AC Milan and the tifosi of San Siro, who found the big European parties for the first time since the 2013/2014 season. Seven years since the Milanese had won a Champions League match at home, since receiving Celtic Glasgow.

Diego Simeone played his offensive va-tout

So when Rafael Leao opened the scoring with a placed shot (1-0, 20th), it was a whole arena that began to believe it. The Rossoneri were rewarded for their excellent start, but were quickly disillusioned when the referee showed a second yellow card to Franck Kessié, prematurely sent off for two avoidable fouls (29th). Stefano Pioli reshaped his team, Sandro Tonali appeared on the pitch for a 4-4-1 tactical device, but possession was still Italian. Leao was even on the verge of transforming a splendid acrobatic kickback that hit the crossbar before the linesman raised his flag (38th).

It was not until the paid coaching of Diego Simeone at the break to see the other face of Atletico de Madrid. With the exit of Geoffrey Kondogbia (66th), the Madrilenians deprived themselves of their only sentry. Consequence, inevitably, Mike Maignan chained the parades on Thomas Lemar and Joao Felix (77th, 90th + 2, 90th + 3). But the Milanese house gave in on a final warning shot from the Colchoneros.

Pierre Kalulu was penalized for a fault of hand, which was perhaps that, first of all, of Lemar. The VAR confirmed the fear of the tifosi: penalty, Luis Suarez, shot in the center, goal, game lost. The Uruguayan scored his first away goal in the Champions League after six years of abstinence. Diego Simeone, former Interiste, could chamber the rival public: AC Milan had just undergone an Italian robbery. The European victory at San Siro will wait, his first points in Group B too. The Milanese are good last, even after the stinging defeat of Porto against Liverpool (1-5).