The elimination of the Champions League quarterfinals reflected Atlético’s entire season. A team that plays better in the opponent’s field than when it retreats into its own. At the Metropolitano, when he went to look for Dortmund in the area, he had a splendid first half that gave him a two-goal lead. When Atlético tried to manage the lead in the second half and look for a counterattack, the German team recovered and came out with a single goal disadvantage. In the first half of the Westfalenstadion the red and whites came out scalded with two goals against due to acquiescence in their area.
4
Gregor Kobel, Julian Ryerson, Ian Maatsen, Hummels, Nico Schlotterbeck, Jadon Sancho (Salih Ozcan, min. 86), Karim Adeyemi (Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, min. 66), M. Sabitzer, Emre Can, Brandt (Marco Reus, min. 90) and Füllkrug
2
Oblak, Giménez, Mario Hermoso, Witsel, Koke, De Paul (Saúl, min. 83), Marcos Llorente, Nahuel Molina (Pablo Barrios Rivas, min. 45), Azpilicueta (Rodrigo Riquelme, min. 45), Griezmann and Morata ( Strap, min. 45)
Goals 1-0 min. 33: Brandt. 2-0 min. 39: Ian Maatsen. 2-1 min. 49: Hummels (pp). 2-2 min. 64: Strap. 3-2 min. 71: Füllkrug. 4-2 min. 73: M. Sabitzer.
Referee Slavko Vincic
Yellow cards Azpilicueta (min. 29), Julian Ryerson (min. 43) and Mario Hermoso (min. 46)
The 2-2 tie they achieved in just a quarter of an hour of the second act was the result of greater ambition. With the tie in their favor the retreat returned and the two goals came in three minutes that marked the elimination. The team was unable to sleep through the game when it had done the most difficult thing. Footballers like De Paul, Koke or Griezmann did not show hierarchy when what the match asked for was to maintain the authority with which they had managed to equal Dortmund’s two goals.
The tie revealed two teams with obvious defensive weakness and was won by Dortmund, who played to attack more in the overall 180 minutes. It is Simeone’s duty not to have been more ambitious at specific moments in the tie. Also in the selection of players like Nahuel Molina, who have not found a minimally acceptable performance for months. Molina was the most vulnerable Atlético exponent in defense of the Simeone era with 61 goals conceded so far this season.
The loss of solidity at the back has also meant that for the first time since the Argentine coach took over the red and white bench, the team has lost more games away from home (11) than it has won (7), with five draws. Away from the Metropolitano, he has conceded 37 goals in 23 games, of which he has only kept five clean sheets. The poor defensive records directly affect Oblak, who makes a very low percentage of stops (70%) compared to other seasons. The Slovenian goalkeeper did not recover from his mistake in the first goal, the work of Julian Brandt. He conveyed insecurity in several situations that he normally resolves with aplomb.
In addition to the lack of forcefulness in his own area, Simeone’s reading of the tie focused a lot on the missed chances by Lino, at the Metropolitano, and by Correa and Morata at the Westfalenstadion. However, he does not account for Dortmund’s two crossbars in the first leg and the chances he also missed in Tuesday’s match.
In the background, it emerges whether Simeone has a squad that needs to be rejuvenated and improved in certain positions. These issues did not arise after eliminating Inter Milan, although reality does reveal that he needs a right back, a couple of center backs and a replacement for Koke at the very least. It also remains to be seen what will happen with Morata, who was very injured after being replaced at half-time. All this will be decided in the summer. First, Atlético must ensure its qualification for the Champions League once it has at least certified its classification for the new FIFA Club World Cup format that guarantees succulent income.
What is also certain is that Atlético will close the season without a title. Simeone will claim that the team surpassed its participation in the Cup and the Champions League compared to last season. But it is no less true that this season they have fallen in both competitions with two rivals who were not any of the great powers in either the League or Europe.
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