The fireworks, the 47,500 raging throats and the humid cold of Rotterdam outlined a hostile territory for the Atlético de Madrid in their endeavor to qualify for the round of 16 of the Champions League before it was too late. Diego Pablo Simeone’s men had reasons to be in a hurry; His dramatic nature continually encourages him to choose the path of safety.
Feyenoord
Biljow; Geertruida, Trauner (Milambo, min.64), Hancko, Hartman; Wieffer, Stengs (Ivanusec, min.70), Timber (Sauer, min.78); Minteh (Lingr, min.64), Paixao (Ueda, min.46) and Giménez.
Atlético de Madrid
Oblak; Molina, Witsel, Giménez, Hermoso, Riquelme; Llorente (Barrios, min.56), Koke (Correa, min.84), De Paul (Saúl, min.74); Griezmann and Morata (Memphis, min.74).
Goals
0-1, min.14: Geertruida (pp). 0-2, min.57: Beautiful. 1-2, min.77: Wieffer. 1-3, min.81: Giménez (pp).
Referee
Anthony Taylor (ENG). No reprimands.
Similar to the match at Celtic Park, the red and white team seemed stunned by the atmosphere, stunned by a pack of wolves exalted by a deafening noise. The very young Mint -an incisive, elusive attacker- missed two impossible chances, thanks, in part, to the nuisance of Gimenez, Witsel he took a shot from under the sticks Hancko when the Dutch staff was already raising their arms to the sky… Atlético took refuge in themselves, repudiated the ball like they had never done this season and very soon, when they began to sense the end of the storm, they received a divine gift to certify his pass to the knockout phase of that competition that he pursues with zeal despite the irreparable damage he did to his heart.
The good defender of Feyenoord did the favor Geertruida in the 14th minute. The Rotterdamian, faced with a ball thrown into the area without much faith by Llorente, was confused by a feint, a false step by a clueless Witsel who believed he was offside, and, in a carom typical of cinema of Guy Ritchie – where the outcome is always unfortunate -, the ball touched his pelvis just before stopping in the back of Bijlow’s net. The 0-1 was a huge prize for a hitherto frightened Atlético, but the decisions of chance invited them to row with the current with a treasure under their arm.
Griezmann’s temple
The goal ended the restlessness of Atlético who, although still walled off against Oblak’s goal, already dared to make three passes in a row. In this context, both Immediately like De Paul were vital on the path to calm. They both began to channel the red-and-white game with astonishing confidence, giving meaning to the careers of that talent with the last name. Riquelme and, above all, they found Antoine Griezmann between the lines, the exact place where the Frenchman finds happiness. From there, with a single touch full of art, Griezmann left him alone before the immensity of the one-on-one match. Morataalthough a prodigious hand from Bijlow prevented the second athletic blow.
Proportional to the passage of time, the role of the French striker in the game grew. He had a fabled association with Riquelme and Barrios -two youth team dreams full of class- and as a result of this good football, Morata enjoyed countless opportunities that incredibly did not end with the Madrid striker celebrating the 0-2 scoreline. What’s more, in contrast to his optimal campaign, the captain of the Spanish team seemed like a version of his past self, the one who experienced an ordeal when his enmity with the goal was evident.
However, Atlético reacted with more enthusiasm than regret to the failures of their nine; Such was his state of mind that, despite the dangerous local waves, he still deserved more than a minimal advantage. With Barrios, Koke and Griezmann giving meaning to the price of a ticket, Atlético allowed itself to smile.
A wonderful volley
It is true that Ueda’s departure bothered the Spanish defense with several notable approaches to Oblak’s goal, but beyond the tenacity of the Japanese and some flashes of magic from Steng, Feyenoord was a persuasive but predictable team. However, his tenacity ended with the wonderful volley of Beautiful Mario in the 57th minute, a left foot shot that, on purpose or not, deserves to be seen repeated on a loop.
The locals believed again thanks to a header from Wieffer; However, a moment after 1-2, in the 81st minute, another own goal caused absolute silence in De Kuip. The terrible scorer was Santiago Giménez, an absolute local star, who certified Atlético’s passage to the second round and the mathematical elimination of Feyenoord. Fortune, so often ungrateful to the red and whites, finally winked at them in Europe. “We hadn’t reached the end with this tranquility for years,” he said, still at the foot of the field, happy and almost voiceless, a Simeone that, together with Alex Ferguson y Arsène Wengerthis Tuesday he became the only coach with 100 Champions League games for the same club.
2023-11-28 22:24:41
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