A header from Giménez in the 90th minute gave Atlético de Madrid a victory that was both necessary and hard-fought. Simeone’s team had to recover from an early Leipzig goal and then turn the game around from the inside. Without respite and at a high rev level, they were able to deal with Marco Rose’s attractive team. Simeone tried an attacking pairing with Correa and Julián Alvarez, with Griezmann embedded as a third midfielder alongside Koke and De Paul. This time, Cholo did not line up the expected trident in which Sorloth must act as the vertex. The formula was to try to take advantage of Leipzig’s concessions in a match that was expected to be visceral in transitions. And that was how it started. Leipzig lit the fireworks at the slightest space they had to run. They mounted a counterattack down the middle as a continuation of a well-connected attack by Atlético. De Paul failed to get a final pass through the half-moon and from there Leipzig launched themselves into a full-throttle attack, with the giant Sesko showing off his stride across the open field in the middle. Openda tried to close the dizzying counterattack with a powerful cross shot that Oblak repelled. The Slovenian’s slap shot generated a soft ball that his compatriot Sesko headed home.
2
Jan Oblak, Robin Le Normand, Reinildo, José Giménez, Marcos Llorente, Rodrigo Riquelme (Samuel Lino, min. 61), Koke, Rodrigo De Paul (Conor Gallagher, min. 62), Ángel Correa (Nahuel Molina, min. 65) , Antoine Griezmann (Axel Witsel, min. 91) and Julián Alvarez (Alexander Sørloth, min. 62)
1
Péter Gulácsi, Castello Lukeba, Willi Orbán, David Raum, Benjamin Henrichs (Yussuf Poulsen, min. 69), Xavi Simons (Eljif Elmas, min. 82), Antonio Nusa (Christoph Baumgartner, min. 45), Arthur Vermeeren (Nicolas Seiwald , min. 59), Amadou Haidara, Benjamin Sesko (Lutsharel Geertruida, min. 69) and Loïs Openda
Goals
0-1 min. 3: Benjamin Sesko. 1-1 min. 27: Griezmann. 2-1 min. 89: Gimenez
Referee Ivan Kruzliak
Le Normand (min. 9), Castello Lukeba (min. 38), Christoph Baumgartner (min. 48), Giménez (min. 59), De Paul (min. 59), Benjamin Henrichs (min. 63), Lois Openda ( min. 93)
The goal confirmed the expectations that Leipzig raises. A graceful, daring team, educated in the speed to attack. A beautiful team to watch that offers its rivals rock and roll from box to box. Everything very intense. Atlético had to face that match with an early goal against. They understood it well in terms of rhythm De Paul, Griezmann and Marcos Llorente, and Giménez as the chief in anticipation. They had to generate a torrent from the recoveries and they set about it. With little pause, always with the attempt to verticalize the game. And always with the threat that a loss could uncover a hole; Sesko seemed like he was going to give Giménez the night with his physical power and his stride. The Uruguayan ended up getting the measure of the Slovenian tank.
Atlético also had a clean play, but Riquelme made the most of it with an overpass when he had the clear shot. Atlético also created another chance from a poor pass from Gulacsi. And Correa, after a short corner, caught a shot that went from post to post before falling tamely into Gulacsi’s hands. Julián Alvarez had little influence in this red-and-white attack. The star signing can’t find his place and they can’t find him either. The youngster is trying hard with explosive runs in the press, but he hasn’t yet uncorked a play in which he runs into space and a teammate passes the ball to him in a position to do damage.
The game was at risk of losses in the centre of the pitch. Of turning into a schoolyard shootout. And so Atlético equalised. De Paul recovered a ball that he had lost earlier and drove forward until he saw Correa ahead of him. The latter opened up to Marcos Llorente and the wing-back’s good cross was connected by Griezmann with a furious volley with his right foot that he volleyed in front of Gulacsi to beat him over. Atlético continued to focus on Leipzig’s half. They didn’t want to hold anything back, but they didn’t surround Marco Rose’s team as much. Supported by Haidara and the centre-backs Lukeba and Orban, they managed to maintain the draw in the first half.
The second half was more tactical than visceral in its first quarter of an hour. Both teams continued to seek the match, but at a more moderate pace. At the hour mark, Simeone decided that the fire in the legs from the first half had to be recovered and made a triple substitution. He benched the grey Julián Alvarez, De Paul and Riquelme to bring on Sorloth, Gallagher and Lino. He soon finished shaping his new plan with the introduction of Molina for Correa. Atlético moved to a 4-4-2, with Koke and Gallagher in the engine room and Llorente and Lino on the wings. The attack was left to Sorloth and Griezmann. The Norwegian was the one who led the half-hour surge with his stride or with his ability to hold the ball with his back turned, turn or pass to his teammate facing him.
Without creating any clear chances, Atlético pinned Leipzig back in their own area. Only a header from Poulsen could worry Oblak. On the wing, Simeone ordered the area to be loaded to take advantage of crosses from Molina and Lino. Sorloth caught two that he connected softly and centrally before Giménez rose at the far post to head home a pass, again with his right foot, from Griezmann.
