Atletico Madrid pulled off a dramatic turnaround to come from behind and defeat Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 at The Riyadh Air Metropolitano.
After dominating a first half in which Pablo Barrios was sent off, Bayer Leverkusen took the lead just before halftime thanks to a free header from Piero Hincapié.
Atleti were limp in the first half, but the second was a different story altogether. Having equalised through Julián Álvarez, another red card this time for Hincapié, would pull the game level in terms of players as well.
Then, right at the end, they won it; Álvarez again with a wonderfully composed finish. Atletico Madrid had won as they do best.
As it happened
Ah, Atleti. If any team in Europe has a defined style recognisable by all, it’s them. Sit back, make life difficult, ruffle some feathers. It feels as though every major tie with them involved goes exactly the same way. This clash against last season’s invincible Bundesliga champions was no different.
Particularly in the first half, Bayer Leverkusen had things all their own way. Atletico Madrid sat back, two banks of four clearly definable, and forced the visitors to play the entire game around the penalty area.
Chances were, as you’d imagine, fairly scarce as a result. Only Hincapié and Florian Wirtz were able to create significant openings in the opening 45 minutes, the former first smashing an effort over the bar and the latter beautifully cushioning a Jeremie Frimpong cross before hitting a volley straight down Jan Oblak’s throat.
On 18 minutes, they thought they were in front. Granit Xhaka had played Alejandro Grimaldo in behind the defence before he crossed low and dangerously into the six-yard box for Nathan Tella to tap home.
In his celebrations, the former Burnley man slipped and crashed into the advertising boards, that stumble made an even harsher turn of fate when the linesman’s flag indicated Grimaldo had jumped the gun with his run. The goal wouldn’t stand.
Embed from Getty ImagesEverything else? Speculative. Exequiel Palacios, Tella and Xhaka all tried their luck from outside the area, unable to break into the box and really cause issues.
For their part, Diego Simeone’s side would foray up the pitch only once or twice. Álvarez attempted a more than ambitious lob from just inside the Leverkusen half which he spun both low and wide, and Javi Galán’s later effort would’ve brought delight if he were playing rugby instead of football; that strike flew almost comically over the bar.
In many ways, their most notable and typical contribution to the first half was a moment of madness. In the 25th minute, Barrios attempted to win the ball by planting his studs into Nordi Mukiele’s calf. Referee Davide Massa initially showed him a yellow card; VAR had other ideas, the challenge deemed to be dangerous and worthy of an early bath.
Down to 10 men, they’d eventually crack. Right at the end of the half, Mukiele was involved again, this time whipping a delightful ball to the back post where Hincapié was ready and unmarked to nod the ball into the far corner. Not even a keeper of Oblak’s calibre could readjust in time to make the save; he was left hung out to dry.
Embed from Getty ImagesBy every metric, it was a first half whereby Bayer Leverkusen were by far the better team on the ball. They’d hit 10 shots to the hosts’ two; four were on target, none for Atleti; 373 passes to 188. Los Colchoneros couldn’t get near them.
But they can never be ruled out. They were sitting back, under the cosh, and loving every minute. One chance was all they needed, and seven minutes into the second half, they got it.
It was a counter; it had to be. Antoine Griezmann had spotted Álvarez making a run into the Leverkusen half, a long ball dispatched to find him. He brought it down under the pressure of Jonathan Tah, who looked as though he was running in tar. Beaten for pace, he lunged to win the ball and could only force it further into the Argentine’s path.
Grimaldo was covering but couldn’t hold him off. On his left foot, off balance, Álvarez still steered a shot into the far corner of Matěj Kolář’s goal. With their first big chance, they were level: that’s Atletico Madrid for you.
The second half was a more open, feistier affair. Chances were far more infrequent than risen tempers, culminating in another red card in the 76th minute.
Having already been booked, goal-scorer Hincapié lost his cool. Giuliano Simeone was darting into the box, and the defender couldn’t let that happen. He barged into the forward with force and a lack of coordination. Simeone Jr. tumbled into the box, the fate of the fouler cemented by the reaction. He was off: it was 10 men apiece.
Bayer Leverkusen’s foot was off the gas; Atletico Madrid pounced.
In the very last minute of regular time, the game was turned around altogether. Substitute Ángel Correa had latched onto a hit-and-hope long ball from Rodrigo De Paul. Under all kinds of pressure, Leverkusen shirts all around him, he stumbled and played a ball towards the only man running ahead of him and into the box.
Luckily for him, it was the perfect man for the job. Álvarez had already scored his 15th goal of the season earlier in the half, and he’d make it 16 at the end. He reached the pass, jinked past Kovář and had no issues slotting the winning goal into an empty net. They’d won it at the death in a way only they can.
Embed from Getty ImagesIf ever Atletico Madrid were going to win a game, this was how; digging in, putting the cat among the pigeons and snatching it with the game’s last breath. They now sit third in the UEFA Champions League, all but guaranteed progression to the round of 16.
As for Bayer Leverkusen, heads will be being scratched asking what went wrong. They’re still in the top eight, but with nine games coming on Wednesday, there’s no guarantee they’ll be there for long.
But that’s Atletico Madrid for you. They may share a city with Real Madrid, but in their own unique way, they’re European royalty.
The lineups
ATM: Oblak; Galán, Lenglet, Giménez, Molina; Simeone, Barrios, De Paul, Llorente; Griezmann, Álvarez
LEV: Kovář; Hincapié, Tah, Tapsoba; Grimaldo, Palacios, Xhaka, Mukiele; Wirtz, Frimpong; Tella