Atlético Madrid 2-1 Borussia Dortmund (10 Apr, 2024) Game Analysis - ESPN (UK)

Rewritten: The last update was made on April 10th, 2024 at 10:56 in the evening.

In the Champions League quarter-final first leg on Wednesday, Atlético Madrid had a dominant first half and scored two goals. However, they had to fight hard in the end as Borussia Dortmund came back, but Atlético Madrid managed to win 2-1.

The Spanish team was eager to secure their first spot in the semifinals after a seven-year drought. They put pressure on the opposing team by playing an aggressive style and it worked out for them just four minutes into the game. Dortmund's goalkeeper Gregor Kobel paused before making a pass to Ian Maatsen, and this gave Rodrigo De Paul the opportunity to step in and score a goal.

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Antoine Griezmann, who was named man-of-the-match, stated that winning was the most significant achievement. He believed that the outcome of the game was not crucial. However, he expressed disappointment about the goal they let in and the sensation of defending while being behind.

Throughout the second half, we experienced some difficulty, although there were instances where a third goal seemed possible. Nonetheless, the reality remains that we had a tough time.

Securing a victory is crucially significant. Our objective is to head over there and achieve a successful outcome. We are fully aware of our potential to make it to the semifinals, and we have already proven it through our performance on the field, stated the French player.

Just after three minutes, Kobel made an incredible save with one hand to prevent Axel Witsel's backheel flick from going into the net. However, the German team was encountering significant difficulties in moving the ball out of their own half.

Their top opportunity involved Maatsen having a weak attempt that was easily deflected by Atlético's goalkeeper Jan Oblak and ended up going wide.

Once more, the team from LaLiga managed to score due to a defensive mistake, and this time it was Samuel Lino who capitalized on it. However, he won't be able to play in the next match as he received a yellow card. Lino managed to double their lead thanks to a pass from Griezmann, and this happened in the 32nd minute of the game.

When Julian Brandt joined the game in the second half, it gave Dortmund a better advantage in attack. However, Lino managed to get another fantastic save from Kobel in the 75th minute. Right after, Sébastien Haller decreased the difference in score by scoring a goal in the 81st minute, which improved the chances for the German team in the upcoming rematch next Tuesday.

Mats Hummels, the defender for Dortmund, played in his 500th game and managed to prevent Ángel Correa from scoring, keeping his team in the match. He slid in and made a crucial stop to maintain their chances of winning.

Towards the end of the game, the team from the Bundesliga had two opportunities to even the score. Unfortunately, their first chance, a shot by Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, was bumped off course by a defender and hit the top of the goalpost. Their second chance came in stoppage time when Julian Brandt attempted a header, but it also hit the goalpost and didn't go in.

Dortmund's coach, Edin Terzic, mentioned that the situation was still undetermined. He commented that the initial half-hour didn't meet their expected standards. At this level of play, it's possible for the game to be lost if a lot of mistakes are made. Nevertheless, the team didn't allow that to get to them and were able to display their true potential.

We messed up quite a bit. Actually, a tie would have been fair. But anyways, we're excited for whatever's next in just six days. Today gave us an idea of their intentions and how we need to step it up on our own turf. That's what he said.

The Metropolitano stadium has bolstered its security measures after receiving a warning of potential attacks from the Islamic State terrorists who have been regaining power. In response, the stadium management has deployed numerous law enforcers both within and outside the arena to keep the area safe.