Atletico Madrid almost fell apart at Bayer Leverkusen but ultimately clinched a 4-2 lead in their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday.
Saul Niguez and Antoine Griezmann had seemingly put Atleti in the driving seat, but Diego Simeone’s troops needed substitute Fernando Torres to make sure of their away advantage late on.
Los Colchoneros rewarded Kevin Gameiro for his hat-trick over the weekend with a start at Leverkusen, who partnered former Real Madrid striker Javier Hernandez with 17-year-old Kai Havertz, described by teammate Lars Bender as “the most complete” player in his age group.
Both sides last met in 2015 at the same stage, with Los Colchoneros needing penalties to overcome the Germans.
Griezmann had an early shot pushed away, before Filipe Luis’ cross into the Leverkusen penalty area was smacked onto the bar by ex-Madrid target Wendell.
At the other end, Miguel Moya had to be on his toes to tip Kevin Kampl’s low drive around the post. Bernd Leno, though, could only stand and watch as Saul Niguez – similar to his strike against Bayern Munich last season – curled one into the top-left corner.
Gameiro then broke clear, before holding the ball up and teeing up Griezmann for a close-range finish, making him Atleti’s all-time top scorer in the Champions League with 13 goals.
Griezmann should’ve grabbed his brace when he was played in one-on-one with Leno, but his finish was straight at the goalkeeper.
Just minutes into the restart, however, Karim Bellarabi peeled off his marker at the near post and slotted past Moya.
Gameiro almost forced an immediate response, rifling a shot from inside Leverkusen’s box, but it cannoned off the crossbar.
Nonetheless, he won his side a penalty moments later after he nutmegged Aleksandar Dragovic, who brought down the striker.
Replays showed the incident to have occurred just outside the box, yet Gameiro proceeded to stroke the spot-kick down the middle of Leno’s goal.
Jan Oblak was a substitute for Atleti, marking his first inclusion in a matchday squad in 2017, and the Slovak would’ve been an interested spectator when Moya pushed a cross onto Savic’s knee and into the back of the net.
The visitors then had Filipe Luis to thank after the left-back cleared a certain Leverkusen equaliser for 3-3 off the line, although Charles Aranguiz was lucky to avoid a red card for a wild lunge on the Brazilian.
Simeone shuffled his pack during the second half, bringing off his trio of forwards, including Yannick Carrasco, whose replacement Torres flicked a header home from Sime Vrsaljko’s pinpoint delivery.
Angel Correa, another, had the chance to all-but-assure Atleti’s place in the quarter-finals right at the death, but he sent his one-on-one with Leno straight at the goalkeeper.
Bayer Leverkusen 2-4 Atletico Madrid
Bellarabi 48, Savic og 67 (BL) Saul 17, Griezmann 25, Gameiro pen 58, Torres 86 (AM)
Bayer Leverkusen: Leno; Henrichs, Dragovic, Toprak, Wendell; Bellarabi (Pohjanpalo 66), Aranguiz, Kampl, Brandt (Bailey 87); Havertz (Volland 56), Chicharito
Atletico Madrid: Moya; Vrsaljko, Savic, Gimenez, Filipe; Gabi, Saul, Koke, Carrasco (Torres 78); Griezmann (Correa 78), Gameiro (Thomas 71)
Referee: Collum (SCO)
