Borussia Dortmund showed a reaction after a sleepy first half in the quarter-final first leg of the Champions League at Atlético Madrid and took a narrow 1-2 defeat into the second leg.
BVB experienced a catastrophic start on Wednesday evening (April 10, 2024) in front of 70,000 spectators in the Metropolitano in Madrid: Rodrigo De Paul took advantage of a misfire by Ian Maatsen in the 4th minute to take the early lead. Samuel Lino (32nd) increased before the break after renewed uncertainty in the Dortmund backline.
But BVB showed a reaction in the second half – and scored a well-deserved goal through Sebatsien Haller (81′), which significantly improved the starting position for the second leg next Tuesday in Dortmund.
Ticker Atletico – Dortmund arrow right quarterfinals arrow right
BVB with many invitations for Griezmann and Co.
After a terribly weak performance for 45 minutes, the first semi-final entry in eleven years is still possible. However, BVB had previously invited the furious opponent to score goals. The seething bowl of the Estadio Metropolitano was on fire. At least that shouldn’t have impressed Mats Hummels, the veteran in central defense was making his 500th competitive game for BVB.
Captain Emre Can was also available for action after a slight illness, and Felix Nmecha surprisingly played for Julian Brandt. But only Atlético set the tone on the offensive: France’s 2018 world champion Antoine Griezmann played a sensational ball in the first counterattack, BVB saved with a double tackle (3rd).
Maatsen and Kobel with the early blackout
Maatsen, who was put under unnecessary pressure by his own goalkeeper Kobel with a pass, then made a pass error in the penalty area before the score was 1-0. Of all people, Hummels also bounced the ball over his foot for a corner, and Kobel saved at full stretch against former Dortmund player Axel Witsel:
Jan Wochner, Schulze Christian, sports show, April 10, 2024 11:21 p.m
BVB was reeling, the defensive midfield was non-existent. Longer periods of possession only started after a quarter of an hour, but there was always the threat of the next attack. Coach Edin Terzic hectically reorganized his midfield during an injury interruption, and a Nmecha header even brought the hint of a first goal chance (31′).
Füllkrug ineffective, Brandt only in the second half
But the next fall into deep sleep followed: Hummels and the man next to him Nico Schlotterbeck couldn’t agree, the ball fell at Griezmann’s feet – who brilliantly lobbed it at the goalscorer Lino. Maatsen and Jadon Sancho had at least one shot in a recovery phase before the break (43’/45′).
Significantly, at the front, Niclas Füllkrug had six touches of the ball at half-time, and Terzic corrected a personnel error: Brandt was now allowed to replace the disappointing Nmecha. BVB stabilized somewhat, at least their ball security increased.
The next big excitement came when Can was injured on the ground – and the Rojibancos completed a promising counterattack while in possession of the ball. Atleti coach Diego Simeone and BVB sports director Sebastian Kehl then clashed on the sidelines.
Haller with the important BVB goal, then twice aluminum
For Dortmund, this was obviously the wake-up call they needed: BVB successfully stepped on the accelerator in the final phase. Schlotterbeck put a free kick over the goal (74th). Haller, who came on as a substitute for the ineffective Füllkrug, did better and pushed a rebound wide awake over the line to connect.
Atlético suddenly looked ailing, BVB even had two great chances to equalize in the final minutes: First Jamie Bynoe-Gittens hit the crossbar three minutes before the end. Then Brandt hit the aluminum with a header.
BVB captain Can: “We have shown morale”
It was the last chance of the game and a hopeful end to a game in which BVB could well have lost, as captain Emre Can said on DAZN with a view to the first half. “But we showed morale. I think everything is still open. We will try everything next week. If we play like we did in the second half today in the second leg, then we can do it.”
