With the 90 minutes gone and the tie unshakable, the old guard does another service to Atlético. Giménez gives the team its first big victory and resolves a match that was up in the air for a long time. The Uruguayan appeared behind the center backs to heading a Griezmann cross and put an end to Leipzig’s resistance on a triumphant night in which it was necessary to go back and in which the players, despite some moments of weakness, never lost faith. The Champions League is starting well, but it leaves some shadows, such as the inconsequential situation in which Julián Álvarez is located.
Leipzig came out willing to take no prisoners and made it clear from the first moment that they were going to win. In just one minute he proved it. At four in the game sesko did not reach a ball Raum and in the counterattack Dand Paul was about to leave alone Julian. However, not only did he not succeed, but The robbery resulted in another counterattack, now towards the other side, and this time lethal. Sesko drove without anyone being able to resist him and upon arrival at the area he enabled Opendawhose shot he miraculously rejected Oblak, but without being able to prevent the rebound from falling to his compatriot, who imposed his almost two meters to head unopposed into the back of the net.
Atlético did not sink, little by little they recovered their breath and after 14 minutes they came close to scoring for the first time. Griezmann had it in a mess in the areabut fate was not generous and Leipzig aborted a tie that was already being sung in a stand that had a hard time accepting the 0-1 lead, but which ended up regaining faith boosted by the commitment of the entire team. He wasn’t wrong. The best was yet to come.
Already in control of the game, Simeone’s team began to accumulate enough merits to turn the game around. Griezmann and Belt they took over from an ineffective Julian and between them they were enough to turn Leipzig upside down. The Argentine shot the post after a corner kick and, finally, at 28 minutes he collected his prize. Llorente He appeared like a rocket on the right and his pass to the penalty spot Griezmann hit him with his right hand to overcome the resistance of the Hungarian Gulacsi and drive crazy Metropolitan.
In the remainder of the first half there was no team other than Atlético. Simons disconnected, Sesko did not appear again and the omnipresent Correa became the protagonist, even trying a Vaseline from midfield. Leipzig was grateful for the break and the stadium said goodbye to its players with applause while on the bench Simeone continued to look at the Julián Álvarez, totally absent in the first part.
Correa, of course, was the author of the first shot after the break. Gulacsi kept the ball, but it was a statement of intent about the goals of a hungry Atlético that he was going to go for victory without looking for shortcuts. griezmann had it 2-1 in a robbery, but his shot did not hit the target despite being in an ideal position.
With the goal resisting, Simeone decided that the time had come to take a scalpel. Gallagher, Lino and Sorloth entered the match and they left Riquelme, De Paul and a crestfallen Julián Álvarez which again had been inconsequential. The Norwegian immediately went ahead, but the truth is that for the first time in the second half the team showed signs of weakness. Correa, exhausted, left his place to Nahuel Molina and Llorente immediately went upstairs.
The changes, however, produced the adverse effect that Cholo expected. Atlético lost their place and Leipzig showed their fangs in an auction of Poulsen which left the entire Metropolitan in silence and a center shot from Simons that demanded a forceful response from Oblak. For a long time even a tie was in danger, but in the final stretch the team rose from its ashes and ended up singing bingo. At just 90 minutes Griezmann completed his great night with a cross with the right leg that at the far post cGiménez called the net. The 2-1. Collective madness.
