Atletico Madrid 0-0 Manchester City (0-1 on aggregate.)
Rarely has a Champions League fixture in which so desperately little happened hooked its viewers to the screen as this one did. Across both legs, each side hit the target on three occasions, yet there was something wonderfully tense about the whole event. In stark contrast to Real Madrid and Chelsea’s goal-fest, but still wonderfully Champions League.
Atletico Madrid employed much the same tactics for the first half as they did in the first leg, ensuring that space and gaps were non-existent before thinking about what to do with the ball. Ilkay Gundogan hit the post on one of the few occasions City found a way through the legs and bodies, but that was largely the story of the first 45 minutes.
As the second half grew older, Atletico made a slow and steady tank-like advance forward. Pressing ever higher and committing gradually more bodies forward. Inflated by superb Wanda Metropolitano, as the final 20 minutes approached, belief in the Rojiblanco ranks became concrete.
“Proud of our team” among the chants from Atleti fans to their players after the final whistle. A brilliant effort. pic.twitter.com/3YJrK5HKNO
— Sam Leveridge (@samleveridge) April 13, 2022
For their part, Pep Guardiola’s side began to smell the semi-final. So close, they gradually mirrored their opponents – defending more often with the ball, but chiefly defending.
On the verge of reaching a crescendo, half-chances began to fall to Los Colchoneros towards the end. John Stones got in the way of a fierce strike and Stefan Savic stretched for a loose ball in the box. Rodrigo de Paul struck his effort with power, but never caught it. It was close, exciting, but still short.
That was the frustration. The crescendo never arrived. Suspended in expectation, the volcano of tension finally exploded in a melee of players. Felipe saw himself down the tunnel and Stefan Savic did his best to do the same as tempers ruled.
The Metropolitano maintained such a voice that there was no evidence that Atletico Madrid lost this tie at the final whistle. Heads maybe, but Diego Simeone’s side competed to the last and were marginally second best.
Manchester City face Real Madrid in the next round, in what is theoretically a more free-flowing match up. Yet no longer can Pep Guardiola be accused of prioritising style over substance – which is a complement to the semi-finalists.
